


Boundless

by CrinklePuff



Series: Boundless [1]
Category: Persona 5
Genre: Akechi Goro Lives, Comfort, Domestic Fluff, Dorks in Love, First Kiss, Light Angst, Love Confessions, M/M, POV Alternating, POV Second Person, POV Third Person, Persona 5: The Royal Spoilers, Post-Canon, Romantic Fluff, Slice of Life, Tooth-Rotting Fluff
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-26
Updated: 2021-02-13
Packaged: 2021-03-11 07:02:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 50,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28347360
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CrinklePuff/pseuds/CrinklePuff
Summary: Your train of thought stops as the crowd disperses and you catch sight of a very familiar silhouette standing by the platform where your train will start boarding soon.No… It can’t be…your mind whispers as you stare in disbelief. You vaguely feel Morgana hop out of your bag, but pay no mind to it, as you are clearly hallucinating at this moment.Except… except that form is now moving towards you…...Usually when you hallucinate, he appears as a mirage, fading away just as quickly as he’s seen.Your heart rate increases rapidly.This… this is  a dream. I’m dreaming…your mind tells you. But it doesn’t feel like a dream… Dreams have a certain air about them… a particular floaty kind of surreal feeling… This moment is very solid and grounded. Real. Not a dream.Soft chestnut hair tickles your cheek as this form… thispersonthat you’ve spent the last few months aching for, slowly, tentatively, puts their arms around you.----On the 20th of March, Ren finds a surprise waiting for him at the train station as he's preparing to go back to his hometown. This story follows that touching reunion, and everything that comes after.
Relationships: Akechi Goro/Amamiya Ren, Akechi Goro/Kurusu Akira, Akechi Goro/Persona 5 Protagonist
Series: Boundless [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2148159
Comments: 23
Kudos: 99





	1. Reunion

**Author's Note:**

> This is the beginning of what will ultimately be an epic series. It started as something I was just doing for myself for fun, but evolved as I got more ideas, one of which being to include Akechi's POV alongside Ren's, which is why they alternate. (With Ren's being 2nd person and Akechi's in 3rd). 
> 
> This work is a labor of love and has been what I've been sinking my free time into for several months, and I'm excited to finally have something polished enough to share.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This had already been up for a while before I noticed the lines that were supposed to be between changes in POV didn't transfer over. I have now fixed that so there is more separation between narrators. 
> 
> Sorry if there was any confusion to those who read before this edit!!

**3/20**

  
  
Today’s the day.  
  
You finally are going back to your hometown… Away from the city and all its memories… and ghosts.  
  
You get up early, making sure all your belongings are prepared. Not that you have much anyway… though you did need a second box for all the souvenirs you collected from your friends and the various dolls from the crane machine in Akihabara’s arcade. That and the large one containing your clothes have been sent ahead. All you have now is a dark blue duffle bag. There’s not even much in it.  
  
You sit on the old worn mattress that’s been your bed for the past year, scooting back and crossing your legs in the lotus position. You close your eyes and concentrate.  
  
Meditation has helped you somewhat maintain an air of normalcy around others. It creates a veil of peacefulness over the abyss that’s been inside you these last few months since…  
You squint, hard, and try not to think about it. About _him._  
  
You breathe in deep; slowly. Let it out; slowly. Rinse and repeat.  
After about twenty minutes, you are ready to go. You rise from the bed and pick up your bag, slinging it over your shoulder. Part of you thinks it feels a bit heavier than it should, but you don’t dwell on that. You head for the stairs, then stop and take one last look around the old attic loft. You’re torn about leaving it; there are a lot of good memories here, but a lot of pain as well. Part of you is relieved to be going, though you don’t want to return to your parent’s house, either. At least you will have a week to yourself before they return from their business trip.  
  
You go down the steps quickly and light on your feet, like a cat. Sojiro turns his attention from his newspaper as you approach the bar. He looks at you with concern in his eyes, just like he did that night in December, and again when you got out of Juvie. You must not have your ‘Hi, I’m normal’ face all the way on yet. You glance away from him and adjust your glasses awkwardly. He clears his throat and sets the newspaper down.  
  
“You got everything?” he asks, sounding a bit gruff. You nod. “...I wanted to have Futaba see you off, but I haven’t been able to find her since this morning… Same with that cat…” he adds, adjusting his own glasses and looking as though he’s pondering where they might be. You have an idea. “Well, anyway. You should get going. And if you ever end up in the city, come on by. I’ll at least treat you to a nice cup of coffee,” he says, looking at you again, though this time with a rare smile. You nod again. “What are you doing? You better get going,” he says suddenly, done with the sappy moment.  
  
“Thank you for everything,” you say sincerely.  
  
Sojiro waves it off with a simple “Yeah,” in response.  
  
You head for the door, pausing before passing through it. You turn around, facing your caretaker again. He looks at you in surprise as you bow, then nods, acknowledging the gesture. And with that, you leave.  
  
-  
  
The streets are crowded, as always. You find it strangely comforting as you blend in with the crowd. Almost like being invisible. You used to hate that feeling, but now it’s not so bad… and you think you should enjoy it while you can, since you expect to be ostracized once back in that small country town. You shake your head, trying to clear it. If you look like you’re brooding when your friends see you off they will worry. Just then, you hear familiar voices calling out to you.  
  
You raise your head and see Ann and Ryuji hanging out of the side of a bright blue, squarish looking van. It reminds you of the Mona bus. They cheerfully greet you as you approach, and you see that your other friends are present as well, with Makoto in the driver seat. They say they want to drive you to the station, but notice that they are being followed. A cab pulls up beside you.  
  
“Need a hand?”  
  
That voice…  
  
You turn around to see the cab door has opened and Dr Maruki is its driver. He suggests splitting up, offering to drive you while your friends distract and shake off their tail. The lot of you agree, and so you climb into the back of his cab, carefully placing your bag next to you. You watch your friends zoom off, the suspicious black car still following them. Maruki smiles at you through the rearview mirror, and proceeds to drive to the train station.  
  
The ride is spent in silence. You weren’t expecting to see the (former) counselor again… and especially not as a taxi driver. Fate is strange, sometimes. You have mixed feelings about meeting with him again, but you are also glad to see that he is doing well after the changes. You look out the window and watch the city pass by, trying to keep your face neutral so he doesn’t suspect anything. He can’t know how miserable you’ve been, especially after how hard you fought to get this reality back. This reality…  
  
_Stop it._  
  
You close your eyes and clear your mind. Most of the time (more recently than not) it works. Fortunately this is one of those times.  
  
The cab arrives at your destination. You start to search for your wallet, though Maruki stops you. You appreciate his generosity.  
  
“If you find yourself struggling in life… You can start over, like me... Remember that,” Maruki says. He turns to you before continuing, “So yeah, if that ends up saving you… then we’re square.”  
  
You blink, a bit surprised. Perhaps he sensed something despite your attempt to be fine. You oblige his dorky-yet-endearing fist bump, and give him a polite smile in response to his sentiment as you ignore the whispering thoughts in the back of your mind that are telling you there is no starting over or getting better…  
  
You say goodbye to him and exit the cab.  
  
Like conveniently timed clockwork, your friends pull up as the cab drives away. You manage a sincere smile as they all shout their goodbyes and wave dramatically. Their enthusiasm is genuinely heart warming, and helps you bury the lurking despair in your heart a little deeper. The moment doesn’t last long, however, and they leave just as quickly as they came. Not much of a send off, but you don’t mind since you took the time for more meaningful goodbyes with each of them yesterday. You take a deep breath, adjust your bag, and head into the station.  
  
-  
  
Absentmindedly, you shuffle through the sea of people like a ghost, your body moving on its own as you space out. Then something weird catches your attention… Your bag is wriggling. You turn your head toward the shoulder it’s hanging on, and hear what you’re sure sounds like a ‘mrrrewr’. Distracted, you bump into someone.  
  
“Ahem… You taught me to keep my head up, didn’t you?” a familiar voice teases.  
  
You look over to see Yoshizawa, holding a duffle bag and dressed in athletic attire. She must be coming home from a meet… or a camp. Your attention is momentarily drawn back to the wriggling bag on your shoulder as Morgana triumphantly pops out of it.  
  
  
“Toldja I was comin’ with you-” the cat proclaims before noticing Yoshizawa.  
  
No wonder your bag felt heavier…  
  
The red-headed girl smiles at the two of you before giving a slight bow and genuine “Take care” as she leaves, looking quite pleased. Was she happy to see you before you left?  
  
Morgana nudges you as you wonder about that. You turn your attention toward him, and he motions for you to continue on your way.  
  
You keep walking, making your way through the crowd as you wonder about mundane things, such as if there will be any food in the house, or if you’ll be openly scorned while walking around the neighborhood or trying to shop-  
  
Your train of thought stops as the crowd disperses and you catch sight of a _very_ familiar silhouette standing by the platform where your train will start boarding soon.  
  
_No… It can’t be…_ your mind whispers as you stare in disbelief. You vaguely feel Morgana hop out of your bag, but pay no mind to it, as you are clearly hallucinating at this moment.  
  
Except… except that form is now moving towards you…  
...Usually when you hallucinate, he appears as a mirage, fading away just as quickly as he’s seen.  
Your heart rate increases rapidly.  
  
_This… this is a dream. I’m dreaming…_ your mind tells you. But it doesn’t feel like a dream… Dreams have a certain air about them… a particular floaty kind of surreal feeling… This moment is very solid and grounded. Real. Not a dream.  
  
Soft chestnut hair tickles your cheek as this form… this _person_ that you’ve spent the last few months aching for, slowly, tentatively, puts their arms around you.  
  
_This is heaven. I somehow died on the way over and now I’m in heaven…_ your brain says, trying to make sense of this astronomically improbable event that’s currently happening.  
You slowly raise your arms, carefully placing them across his back, slightly worried he’ll disappear the second you touch him.  
  
He doesn’t.  
  
He’s solid, and warm… so warm… You can feel his heartbeat as you hug him; it’s beating just as rapidly as yours. You have a moment of clarity… _This is real._  
  
“You should know better than to underestimate me…” he says softly into your ear.  
  
Your whole body feels electrified as that voice enters your ear canal and turns your heart and brain to warm, fuzzy mush. The sheer force and intensity of the joy, relief, and other emotions you feel hits you like a tsunami, making you feel faint.  
  
You hug him tighter, clinging desperately as you try to hold yourself up. A small sob escapes your lips, and you feel slender fingers brush through the curls at the nape of your neck. You can’t stop the tears now.  
  
“...Don’t ever do that again…” you manage to choke out, your voice shaky.  
  
He simply nods in response, burying his face deeper into your shoulder. It starts to feel damp…  
  
A moment passes. He speaks again, voice still soft in your ear…  
  
“You’re going to miss your train…”  
  
“Doesn’t matter.” There’s no way in hell you’re letting go of him now.  
  
“Ren…” he whispers.  
  
“I’m not letting go…” you declare with a sniffle. “I’m never letting go…”  
  
He doesn’t argue any further.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Goro Akechi paces back and forth by the platform, anxiously checking his watch. He sighs, exasperated. Having arrived too early due to nerves, he’s already been here for one hour. One excruciatingly _long_ hour. He should have anticipated that his target would show up at the last minute. That is so like _him._ Leisurely taking everything in stride while Akechi scrambles and struggles and …  
  
That’s not important.  
  
What’s important is why he’s here.  
  
Akechi checks his watch again, displeased that only a few seconds have passed. _What the hell is taking him so goddamn LONG_ , he wonders, briefly imagining dramatic heartfelt farewells between that idiot and his friends. Akechi sighs and starts pacing again.  
  
He’s been having …difficulties… adjusting since he unexpectedly woke up in a hospital nearly two months ago, with no idea how he got there or why he was alive to begin with.  
  
Recovery has been long and excruciating, but it's given him lots of time to think.  
  
And he has thought about a lot of things. Namely, how did he survive? And just what the hell was he supposed to do now? His life before was all about getting revenge. He built himself up for that purpose, and now that Shido had a change of heart and got arrested (he checked to make sure) he didn’t know where to go from here.  
  
No matter what occupied his time and thoughts with, his mind always drifted back to one thing, and one thing only: Ren.  
  
It didn’t matter how hard Akechi tried to push away those thoughts; how much he tried to convince himself that Ren would be better off without a curse like him around; how much he hated having his mind endlessly filled with grey eyes and black curls… They never went away.  
  
And Akechi’s true feelings never left him, no matter how hard he attempted to stomp them out.  
  
It was for these reasons that he ended up looking into what happened to Ren, and subsequently found out about his departure.  
  
It was for these reasons that he was here, now, waiting on that idiot… Waiting to face him, so he could sever this ridiculous bond for good… Or maybe…  
  
_No._  
_No… There’s no guarantee that he’ll just… accept me after everything..._  
_I shouldn’t get my hopes up…_  
  
It’s a futile attempt to prepare himself for what would ultimately be the most difficult rejection to withstand. And despite trying to convince himself that he doesn’t want to be regarded with open arms, that burning feeling in the depths of his heart doesn’t leave.  
  
“He’s really going to miss it at this rate…” Akechi grumbles to himself, halting his pacing as he checks his watch _again._  
  
His breath stills as messy black curls enter his peripheral. He slowly turns his head as relief, irritation, and fear flood through him. He’s about to go off on a rant about Ren being late when he sees his expression. He stops cold.  
  
It’s a look he’s seen before in TV dramas, on the face of someone who’s seeing a long lost love for the first time after assuming they’d never meet again. It’s the kind of overdramatic fantasy he thought only lived in fiction… until now, that is.  
  
And he never imagined, even in his wildest dreams, that _anyone_ would ever look at _him_ like that.  
  
_Oh… OH…. He really…_  
_Of course…_  
_How stupid was I to assume he’d forget about me..._  
  
He’d spent so long telling himself that no one could really love him, that Ren would be better off without him, that he started to believe the lie...  
  
Akechi’s thoughts fade as his feet start to move on their own.  
  
His heart hammers against his ribs as he approaches Ren, who’s still frozen like a statue, his grey eyes clouded with emotion and disbelief. He doesn’t stop, gently and carefully putting his arms around Ren before he has time to think better of it. His hair brushes Ren’s cheek as he embraces him and leans his face into his shoulder.  
  
He feels good in his arms.  
  
Akechi closes his eyes and tries to steady his breathing. His whole being feels like it’s vibrating on a molecular level. It’s exhilarating… and terrifying.  
  
It takes a moment before Ren hugs him back. When he does, Akechi’s heart trembles at how carefully Ren places his arms across his back, as if he’s still unsure of his existence.  
  
“You should know better than to underestimate me…” he mumbles into Ren’s ear.  
  
Akechi feels the boy’s knees buckle and a sob escape him as he clings to Akechi, suddenly hugging him tighter. Searing heat rips through his chest. _Did he really miss me this much?_ he ponders. He slides one hand up into the curls at the nape of Ren’s neck, brushing his fingers through them in an attempt to soothe the crying boy. They’re softer than he imagined.  
  
“...Don’t ever do that again…” Ren mumbles back, his usually smooth voice now shaky.  
  
Akechi’s heart tightens violently at the sound of it. No one’s ever cared for him so much… He can only nod in return as the corners of his eyes start to sting and he buries his face deeper into Ren’s shoulder, the soft material of his blazer absorbing the tears as they fall.  
  
It takes a moment before he can speak again. “...You’re going to miss your train…” is all he can think of to say.  
  
“Doesn’t matter.” Ren’s voice is hoarse now.  
  
It makes Akechi feel things that he can’t quite describe. “...Ren…” he murmurs.  
  
“I’m not letting go…” Ren asserts. He sniffles, still crying. “I’m never letting go…”  
  
Akechi doesn’t argue any further. He’s a bit in shock himself with Ren’s reaction and that last declaration. He feels too hot and tingly in his veins, like his heart is pumping lava instead of blood, or lightning.  
  
They remain in each others’ arms for a couple more moments before slowly separating. Akechi takes Ren’s hand and leads him to a nearby bench where they sit down together. They sit close, with their sides touching, and Akechi allows Ren to lean against him as he continues to hold his hand, not ready for the contact to end yet…  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
You don’t notice the boarding calls for your train, or when it leaves without you. The only thing your senses are filled with, that your mind is focused on, is Akechi. His warmth. His scent. The softness of his hair against your cheek. The comfort of being wrapped in his arms. The feel of his heart beat…  
  
You’ve dreamed of this. Wished for it. Prayed for it. Yearned. Ached…  
You never thought it’d happen. You would have been happy just to know he was alive.  
  
But this… This is almost too much… The way he looked at you… The way he hugged you… It makes you think that your assumption of him having some feelings for you was right… You wonder what he’s thinking about right now… what he’s feeling… Your own intense mix of emotion is clouding your ability to read his…  
  
Eventually the two of you separate, and he silently leads you to a bench. It’s out of the way of the crowds, but still close enough to the platform that you would easily be able to catch the next train, though you certainly don’t want to leave now… not after finally getting him back…  
  
You sit down together in tandem, still holding hands. You’re glad that he hasn’t let go. It makes you feel like he’s really serious about being here, and it’s a nice reminder that you aren’t hallucinating. You shift a bit, moving closer to him and brushing his side. You think you feel him tense for a fraction of a second, but instead of being stiff or moving away, he shifts closer to you, too. Your heart soars, and you lean against him, resting your head on his shoulder as you let out a soft sigh.  
  
You feel a warmth and pressure against your head, and realize it’s Akechi resting his cheek on you, despite the fact that your unruly hair is probably tickling him. You smile as your heart swells, and the two of you sit in comfortable silence as you wait for the next train.  
  
-  
  
Some time passes, and the next train arrives. It’s too soon… you’re not ready to go yet. This little bit of interaction isn’t nearly enough after months of missing him. He lifts his head from yours, and you squeeze his hand in a silent plea not to go.  
  
“Don’t worry,” he says in a smooth silky tone, as if sensing your anxiety and trying to quell it. “...I’m coming too.”  
  
You lift your head and stare at him. “...You are?” you ask, the words falling out of your mouth.  
  
He looks amused. “I could use a change of scenery.”  
  
As if that’s enough to explain what is certainly a major and last minute decision. However, you don’t care. You’re too elated at the prospect of him actually staying with you. He stands, and pulls you up with him. You get up awkwardly, not quite prepared for the sudden movement, and fumble for your bag which Morgana has returned to without your noticing.  
  
“Come on, I don’t want to miss this one…” Akechi says, eagerly dragging you closer to him.  
  
The two of you board the train together, still holding hands. A very warm, cozy feeling washes over you like you’ve never felt before. The idea of “going home” suddenly feels … right… in a way it never has before. A very comforting way… and for once you’re looking forward to it.  
  
-  
  
On the train, you follow Akechi as he leads you into a less populated car, moving toward the back to be away from other passengers. He eventually chooses a spot, and takes the window seat. You move in after him and sit in the middle seat, placing your bag with Mona into the outside seat. The bag is still unzipped and the cat rolls over, looking at you with bright blue eyes and a little smirk. You smile at him and scratch behind his ears with your free hand before turning your attention back to Akechi.  
  
Your breath hitches as you look at him. It’s been so long since you’ve seen him, and it was rarely ever this close. He’s sitting comfortably, with his back against the seat and his long legs crossed, left elbow leaning on the window sill as he rests his chin on his hand. His right elbow is on the armrest between you; that arm twisted around your left as you continue to hold hands. He looks just the same, though a bit thinner; his usual uniform appearing almost too big on him now. You wonder what he’s been through…  
  
The light coming through the window as the train starts to move shines through Akechi’s hair in a stunning way, illuminating the strands to where they appear to be glowing. You’re filled with the desire to touch it, but you hold back. Instead, you focus on his hand, and how it feels linked with yours. It’s warmer than you thought it’d be, and it’s only now that you realize he’s not wearing his trademark gloves. You blink, staring at the bare hand entwined with yours. It’s slightly bigger, with slender fingers and neatly trimmed nails. Your heart skips as you notice what look like faint freckles sprinkled across the back of his hand and across his knuckles. Your face starts to feel warm as you decide that those freckles are _adorable_ .  
  
You look away from his hand and fidget in your seat. You think about saying something, but you’re not sure what, or that you even should. You start to move your fingers instead, gently caressing the back of Akechi’s hand. His skin is soft. His grip tightens for a second, and you start to wonder if you startled him, but then he replicates the motion, lightly stroking the back of your hand in turn. It tickles a little, but feels really nice. You feel a bit giddy as a fuzzy warmth builds up in your chest.  
  
You spend the first portion of the trip sitting quietly, content with just being next to each other as you occasionally show affection through light touches across the backs of each others’ hands.  
  
-  
  
It’s about halfway through the train ride and you are still buzzing from the best surprise ever, though now you are also relaxed enough that your tiredness is starting to catch up with you. You lean your head back and close your eyes, a peaceful smile spreading across your face. You start to take slower, deeper breaths as you relax further, and start to feel yourself slip into the soft, floaty early stages of sleep. Before you can drift off all the way, something bumps your shoulder.  
  
You look to your left, and are immediately met with a crown of silky chestnut hair. You swallow your heart back down as you gaze upon Akechi’s sleeping face gently leaning on your shoulder. You quietly thank whatever deity was gracious enough to enact this manga trope as you memorize the precious view.  
  
He looks peaceful at first, and you wonder how much rest he’s been getting if he’s tired enough to just pass out and sleep on you (not that you mind at all). Suddenly, he lets out a soft groan, and his brow furrows as a tear slides down his cheek.  
  
_Oh no.. is it a nightmare?_  
  
Your chest tightens.  
  
With your free hand, you carefully wipe the tear away, then begin stroking his hair… it’s still so silky. He emits another sound, though now it looks like his expression is relaxing. You smile to yourself as you continue stroking his hair.  
  
After a moment his eyes flutter open. You freeze as crimson eyes lock onto you.  
  
“Good morning…” you say softly, the corners of your lips turning up slightly.  
  
His eyes widen into a deer-in-headlights kind of look before he sits up quickly, his face becoming flushed as he moves.  
  
“Wh-What are you doing?!” he stammers, quite flustered.  
  
“Your sleeping face is cute,” you respond with a smile, unable to resist teasing him a little.  
  
“Sh-Shut up!” he grumbles, turning away from you to face the window as he partially covers his face with his free hand.  
  
You can see that he’s still blushing. He’s more bashful than you anticipated, and part of you wants to tease him more for it, but you don’t.  
  
“Did you have a bad dream…?” you ask tentatively. You know the answer to that already, but are hoping that he’ll talk to you about it.  
  
He’s quiet for a long moment, eventually responding, “...It was nothing.”  
  
You look down, disappointed though not surprised. You hope that one day he’ll feel comfortable enough to open up to you more.  
  
“...I’m glad you’re here…” you say softly. That barely scratches the surface of how you really feel, but you don’t want to make him uncomfortable by being too intense too quickly.  
  
He gently squeezes your hand in response.  
  
You look up at him, but he’s still gazing out the window. You smile to yourself, touched by the gesture, and squeeze his hand back. You then lean against him, which he doesn’t protest to, and the two of you spend the rest of the trip casually talking about the scenery you see out the window.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Akechi feels floaty and a bit light headed from all the emotions that have been crashing through him in these last few minutes. It’s overwhelming, but not entirely unpleasant. Ren is worth it.  
  
He sighs softly as they lean against each other on the bench, Ren’s unruly curls tickling his face as he rests his cheek on the boy's head. The stupid frizzy hair has become endearing, and he’s happy to have the waves annoy him with their impossibly light and soft texture. Plus they smell amazing… Not that he’d ever say these things out loud.  
  
Akechi relaxes, enjoying the comfortable silence of the peaceful bubble they’ve made for themselves. Words aren’t needed right now, and would only ruin the moment.  
  
He savors their closeness… He’s never liked being touched by anyone before. Even a cordial handshake for work or an accidental bump from someone in a crowd would leave him feeling repulsed. But Ren… his gentleness and warmth is comforting, and it fills a need Akechi didn't know he had.  
  
-  
  
Time passes quickly, and the next train arrives. Akechi raises his head as the machine pulls up. He feels Ren squeeze his hand, the boy’s anxiety transferring through. Akechi feels a momentary twinge of guilt.  
  
“Don’t worry,” he says, keeping his tone soft and soothing, “I’m coming too.”  
  
Ren lifts his head and stares at Akechi. “You are?” he asks in pure shock. It’s surprisingly adorable.  
  
Akechi holds back a chuckle. “I could use a change of scenery,” he replies. Which is true. It would be nice to get out of the city, and he’s been curious about Ren’s hometown… Admittedly it’s an impulsive decision, but it doesn’t feel wrong.  
  
He stands, pulling Ren up with him. “Come on, I don’t want to miss this one,” he says.  
  
Ren follows along, and they board the train together.  
  
-  
  
Akechi can’t remember the last time he took a train anywhere like this, but he has always enjoyed a window seat whenever travelling. It’s relaxing to be able to gaze out at whatever scenery may be present while letting his mind wander. It’s what he’d like to be doing now, except that he can feel Ren’s eyes on him. It’s a bit nerve-wracking, causing his heart to do weird things, but he doesn’t hate it.  
  
Eventually he senses Ren’s eyes leave him. Some tension that had built up in his muscles fades, though it’s not long before his hand twitches at an unexpected sensation….  
  
Ren has started caressing the back of his hand with his stupid, perfect fingers. Akechi feels warm as the gentle touches send tingles all the way up his arm and through his chest. His brain forgets how to operate for a moment, but he’s able to regain control fairly quickly. He mimics Ren’s movements, lightly stroking the back of the pale, soft hand clasped with his. He wonders for a moment if the rest of Ren is as soft as his hand, but quickly pushes that out of his mind. He wonders if Ren is flustered at all by the contact… It would be nice to catch him off guard and break his usual cool facade.  
  
Akechi eventually does relax, and even falls asleep, the occasional gentle caresses soothing him.  
  
-  
  
His sleep is mostly restful, until something shifts, and he starts to dream.  
  
Of her.  
  
It isn’t as bad as some other nightmares have been, and doesn’t last long either as something else pulls him out of it.  
  
He opens his eyes to find Ren looking down at him from an odd angle, and the feeling of fingers in his hair.  
  
_Shit… I didn’t mean to fall asleep on him…_ he thinks momentarily as his eyes widen with the realization of what must have just happened.  
  
Ren recovers first, greeting him with a sweet sounding “Good morning…” as his mouth curves into an annoyingly cute little smile.  
  
Heat flashes through Akechi as he sits up quickly. “Wh-What are you doing?!” he stammers, unable to control his voice.  
  
“Your sleeping face is cute,” Ren replies, looking at him fondly, the cute smile changing to an amused one.  
  
“Sh-Shut up!” Akechi snaps in return, unable to come up with any other reply as his mind spins and overheats. He turns back towards the window and partially covers his face with his free hand.  
  
He can’t believe Ren was able to fluster him so easily…  
  
He’s able to regain his composure in the following moments of silence, and is thankful Ren hasn’t teased him any further.  
  
“...Did you have a bad dream?” Ren asks suddenly, his tone soft and unsure.  
  
Akechi stiffens, worried that he may have cried while asleep. It wouldn’t be the first time, but he never wanted anyone to witness such a repugnant thing…. Especially not Ren. He swallows slowly, his throat suddenly feeling dry. A long moment passes before he realizes he hasn’t given an answer yet. He supposes he has to say _something…_ though he’s not comfortable talking about his dreams…  
  
“It was nothing,” he says finally.  
  
Ren doesn’t press the issue, much to Akechi’s relief. His silence is awkward, however. Akechi contemplates saying something else, but struggles to decide what… it’s not like him… but then again this whole situation isn’t something he’d typically subject himself to.  
  
“...I’m glad you’re here…” Ren says, changing the topic out of the blue.  
  
Akechi’s heart thumps against his sternum. Such a simple sentiment fills him with an odd warmth, and he fights the flush threatening to creep back over his face. He doesn’t say anything, but squeezes Ren’s hand in response.  
  
He chances taking a glance at Ren in the window’s reflection, and sees the boy smile warmly before squeezing his hand back. Akechi’s heart flutters, and he turns his attention back to the passing scenery.  
  
Ren leans against him, but Akechi doesn’t flinch this time. The causal contact is kind of nice…  
  
They spend the rest of the ride talking about the scenery Akechi sees out the window, with him asking questions and Ren providing answers. It feels comfortable, like other times they’ve hung out and talked about whatever happened to come to mind.  
  
It’s something he’s only ever experienced with Ren…  
  
He missed it.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
It’s evening by the time you arrive in your hometown, and you are anxious to get off the train and stretch. You don’t waste any time grabbing your bag and preparing to stand once the train comes to a halt. Akechi follows suit and the two of you leave the car you’re in and step out onto the singular platform of your town’s small station.  
  
You glance at Akechi, watching him look around the area and absorb its details. It’s not long before his eyes fall back on you, and your heart skips as his gaze meets yours.  
  
“Ready?” you ask.  
  
“Mrrow, let’s go!” Morgana replies through a yawn as he sticks his head out of your bag.  
  
You and Akechi look at the cat, the latter grumbling at the interruption while you stifle a laugh. Your eyes catch Akechi’s again, and he frowns slightly.  
  
“...Lead on,” he says, deferring to you.  
  
You nod, and lead the way as the two of you make your way out of the station, hands still clasped together with fingers entwined.  
  
-  
  
You weave your way through quiet streets, walking the familiar path like it was yesterday. It’s dusk, and the fading daylight brings a cozy atmosphere upon the small town, creating a landscape that looks like something out of a painting. It’s one of the few redeeming qualities of this place.  
  
Another one is currently holding onto your hand as you guide him through the streets.  
  
It takes a bit, but you eventually reach your house. It’s a typical modest two story on the corner of a residential street, with an alleyway running along one side and behind it. You reluctantly drop Akechi’s hand as you fiddle with the latch on the gate. Damn thing has always been a hassle for as long as you can remember, with no one bothering to fix it.  
  
You manage to get it open, and turn back to Akechi who’s giving you a look that makes you wonder if he thinks you’re breaking into your own home.  
  
“The latch sticks…” you say, feeling the need to explain yourself.  
  
He doesn’t respond, but just waits for you to keep moving. You do, and the two of you walk up to the front door. Mona sticks his head out of the bag again as you dig through your pockets for your keys.  
  
“This is your house?” asks the cat.  
  
“Yeah,” you reply in short.  
  
“Mmm, it looks nice! Better than that attic, anyway,” Morgana replies.  
  
“...It’s just a normal house…” you absentmindedly respond. Where the hell are your keys? “Mona are there keys in there with you?” you ask, not finding them in your pockets.  
  
Akechi sighs behind you.  
  
Mona rummages around for a moment, then emerges holding a small silver keyring with two house keys on it.  
  
“Thanks,” you tell him as you grab the keys. You select the one for this door, and slide it into the lock. It doesn’t turn.  
  
Your heart sinks.  
  
_You gotta be fucking kidding me…_ you think to yourself as you try again.  
  
It still doesn’t budge.  
  
“Something the matter?” Akechi asks from behind you.  
  
“...They changed the locks… They changed the locks after I left and didn’t bother to tell me when they found out I was coming back…” you mumble, more to yourself than to him.  
  
“What the _hell…_ ” Akechi replies, sounding irritated.  
  
You flinch.  
  
“Mona… lockpick, please,” you say to your cat. You are getting into this damn house. Luckily you’re quite skilled at picking locks now… this one should be simple enough.  
  
Morgana obediently retrieves a lock pick and drops it into your open hand.  
  
“Thanks,” you tell him, and get to work maneuvering the tools inside the lock on your front door.  
  
“You seriously carry those with you? Are you planning more heists?” Akechi asks, sounding somewhat sarcastic.  
  
You smirk at him over your shoulder. “Why? You gonna arrest me? I’m not sure it counts as breaking and entering if it’s my own house.”  
  
He smirks back, but his eyes flash with something else, something that looks halfway between disapproval and concern.  
  
You turn your attention back to the door as the lock clicks. “There we go…” you say, pushing the door open. “Good thing, too… I’d hate to have to use one of the windows again…” you add without thinking.  
  
“Again? How often have you had to do that?” Akechi asks.  
  
_Shit… didn't mean to say that…_  
  
“...Probably more than most…” you reply sheepishly, glancing at him again.  
  
His arms are crossed and he’s frowning, though it doesn’t look quite upset… more… conflicted.  
  
You clear your throat. “C’mon… I’m hungry…”  
  
He follows you inside without further comment.  
  
-  
  
You each take off your shoes at the entrance and put away your coats in the adjacent closet. He follows you as you walk forward through the foyer, which shortly opens up into a living room. You set your bag down on the recliner and turn towards Akechi.  
  
“Well this is it…” you say, motioning around you. “Kitchen’s through there…” you add, pointing behind him, “... and the bathroom and bedroom are upstairs.”  
  
He nods slowly as he takes in the surroundings. “It’s … nice”  
  
You wonder if that’s sincere or if he’s just not sure now to act in this kind of situation. Hell, _you’re_ not sure how to act in this kind of situation…  
  
What even is this situation?  
  
You push those thoughts out of your mind as your stomach rumbles. It’s loud enough that you’re sure Akechi hears it, too.  
  
_Great…_ you think to yourself as you try to hide your embarrassment.  
  
“...You hungry? I’m going to see if there’s anything here I can cook with…” you say as you head toward the kitchen.  
  
“Sure,” Akechi responds, and follows you the short distance into the kitchen, taking a seat at the round table set against one wall by a window.  
  
You hold your breath as you open the fridge, then let it out as a sigh of relief when you find that there is, in fact, food. Not a lot, but it will do for now. You start taking out ingredients as you wonder how to combine this random array into a decent meal.  
  
“...Do you have any preferences?” you ask as you start arranging items on the counter.  
  
“I’m not picky when it comes to food,” he replies smoothly.  
  
You glance over your shoulder to find that he’s turned one of the chairs outward to face you, and is sitting with one leg crossed over the other as he leans sideways against the table, chin resting on one hand while watching you intently.  
  
You feel a shiver go up your spine, and quickly turn back to hide your blush. You can still feel his eyes on you as you move about, preparing things and cooking. As you work, you wonder what he’s thinking about… and if he might be wondering what your home life is like… You had to break into an empty house, after all, and there’s barely any food. He hasn’t said anything about it so far (thankfully) but you’re sure it’s only a matter of time.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Akechi is relieved as the train finally rolls into the station in Ren’s hometown. It was a long trip and his legs are cramping, not to mention he hasn’t eaten since this morning… not that that is unusual for him, but it does add to his discomfort.  
  
He notices Ren is just as eager to get the hell off this thing, and they soon end up standing on what is plainly a very small platform in a very small station. He knew Ren was from the country, but he wasn’t expecting this. He wonders what the town itself is like… Surely it’s more than just a few houses and a general store… He takes a moment to observe his surroundings, making note of the rentable lockers and an old fashioned bulletin board with train departures and arrivals posted on it, along with a few ads.  
  
It’s quaint, like something out of a story book.  
  
He looks back to Ren, his heart skipping a beat as the boy enters his vision.  
  
_Ugh, stupid heart…_  
  
“Ready?” Ren asks, a glimmer in his eyes.  
  
Before Akechi can respond, that obnoxious cat pops out of Ren’s bag and interrupts. He grumbles and frowns, but Ren seems amused so it’s fine. Then he’s met by silver eyes again. Have they always looked like that…? Akechi feels like they used to be darker… more pensive, and mysterious. Maybe it’s the lighting.  
  
“Lead on,” he says, managing to keep his voice even despite the swirl of odd feelings swishing around in his guts.  
  
Ren nods, and leads the way out of the tiny station.  
  
-  
  
The thought that this place is like something out of a story book flows through Akechi’s mind again as he’s led through quiet streets at dusk. The streetlights and low lighting, along with leftover warm colors from the sun passing the horizon, adds to the atmosphere. Somehow it feels… almost… romantic…? Akechi wonders if he’d think that if he were exploring here alone.  
  
There’s that weird swish again.  
  
He groans internally at himself, and tries to focus on memorizing the surroundings instead of thinking about ridiculous things like the atmosphere. It sort of works.  
  
Eventually they come to an ordinary looking two story home situated on a corner lot. Akechi is a bit surprised at how long it took to walk here, though if they had another means of transportation it would’ve taken almost no time at all.  
  
He looks up at the house as they approach.  
  
_So this is his home… it’s so normal…_ Akechi thinks to himself as pricks of envy start to invade his mind.  
  
He forgets them the second Ren drops his hand. Suddenly he feels colder, as if some vital part is now missing.  
  
He watches Ren fiddle with the latch on the gate, and curses whoever is responsible for making it so difficult to operate… Such a thing should be made easy enough to use with one hand…  
  
He realizes he’s scowling when Ren peeks back at him, and tries to fix his expression.  
  
“The latch sticks...” Ren says, sounding as if he’s trying to defend himself against a scolding authority figure.  
  
Akechi mentally kicks himself for his sudden inability to control his facial muscles and expressions. Is this leftover from being in a coma? Does he need to retrain his facial muscles too…? He should look into that.  
  
Ren continues up the walkway towards the front door, and Akechi follows. He silently watches as the boy digs in his pockets for keys, and sighs as he’s unable to find them. How ill prepared can he be? Luckily the cat finds his keyring and hands it over.  
  
However the door doesn’t open.  
  
Ren seems disturbed.  
  
“Something the matter?” Akechi asks.  
  
“...They changed the locks… They changed the locks after I left and didn’t bother to tell me when they found out I was coming back…” Ren mumbles.  
  
The familiar feeling of fury starts to rise up in Akechi as he crosses his arms and squeezes his fingers into them. He can feel his nails dig into his skin even through the fabric of his sleeves.  
  
“What the _hell_ …” he murmurs before he can catch himself.  
  
He immediately bites back on his anger as he sees Ren flinch.  
  
_Fuck… that wasn’t directed at him…_ Akechi laments.  
  
“Mona, lock pick please,” Ren suddenly orders as he holds his hand out near the opening of the bag resting on his shoulder. He thanks the feline as it retrieves the requested item.  
  
“You seriously carry those around with you? Are you planning another heist?” Akechi comments, trying to lighten the mood.  
  
Ren peeks over his shoulder at him. “Why? You gonna arrest me? I’m not sure it counts as breaking and entering if it’s my own house.”  
  
The cheeky brat.  
  
Akechi smirks back, though he’s still bothered by the implications of this situation.  
  
Ren faces the door again, opening it after successfully manipulating the lock. Akechi notes that it took him no time at all.  
  
“There we go…” Ren states, sounding satisfied as he pushes the door open. “Good thing, too… I’d hate to have to use one of the windows again…” he adds.  
  
Akechi’s ears perk up at that.  
  
“Again? How often have you had to do that?” he asks, unable to restrain his concern. The implications of _that_ are particularly bad.  
  
Ren seems to have gone stiff for a moment. That comment was most likely a slip of the tongue. “...Probably more than most…” he answers, a rueful look in his eyes as he peeks over his shoulder again.  
  
Akechi frowns. Just what the hell are his parents doing?  
  
Ren clears his throat awkwardly. “C’mon… I’m hungry…” he says, then goes inside.  
  
It’s clear he doesn’t want Akechi to ask about any of this, and that just bothers him more. However he stays mute, and follows Ren inside the house.  
  
-  
  
The inside of the home is just as pl- … normal… as the outside. A small entrance where shoes are removed, accompanied by a coat closet. A brief foyer that opens into a modest living room, sparsely furnished with what appears to be a well-used sofa, recliner, coffee table, end table, entertainment stand, and television. There appears to be a VCR, DVD player, and game console scattered about the shelves of the entertainment center along with some movies and a few games. A couple of lamps and a basic rug complete the room.  
  
Akechi moves around the perimeter of the space, imagining a small Ren sitting on the couch and playing a game or watching a movie… He quickly drops the idea as it starts to make him feel weird.  
  
Ren drops his bag into the recliner and turns to face Akechi. “Well, this is it…” he says with a broad gesture. “The kitchen is through there, and the bedrooms and bathroom are upstairs,” he adds, pointing behind Akechi for the former and to his right for the latter.  
  
Akechi nods as he glances around again. “It’s … nice,” he says, not entirely sure how to act in this situation. That was normal, right? He’s never visited anyone’s home before, though it stands to reason the polite thing to do would be to compliment it.  
  
An odd growl sound breaks the silence and distracts Akechi from his internal dilemma. It seems to have been Ren’s stomach… Akechi remembers neither of them had lunch. He suppresses a chuckle.  
  
“...You hungry? I’m going to see if there’s anything here I can cook with…” Ren murmurs as he moves past Akechi and into the kitchen.  
  
“Sure,” Akechi replies as he follows him, trying not to think about the way the offer was phrased.  
  
The kitchen is, again, modest. An L shaped counter with upper and lower cabinets takes up two of the walls, and is capped off with a fridge on the nearest end. A stove is situated somewhere in the middle, and a sink on the far side. Directly across from the fridge, taking up the other corner, is a round table situated against the wall by a singular window. Akechi selects a chair at that table and turns it outward, so that it’s facing Ren who’s rummaging through the fridge, before sitting down.  
  
Akechi’s gaze settles firmly on Ren’s back as he watches the boy, trying not to think about various things… Like how no one is here to welcome him home after being away for a year… or how the locks were changed, causing them to break in … how there are no family pictures or other such items around … How sparsely stocked the fridge is …  
  
But most of all, how these things make Akechi _feel_ …  
  
“Do you have any preferences?” Ren asks, breaking Akechi out of his train of thought.  
  
“I’m not picky when it comes to food,” he replies, resting his chin on his hand as he continues to watch Ren.  
  
Grey eyes peek at him over a defined shoulder, and Akechi’s heart warms before he can stop it. Ren just as quickly turns back to what he was doing, causing Akechi to wonder if he might be embarrassed. The corners of his mouth twitch up at the thought of that, and he continues to keep his eyes on Ren, simply enjoying the sight of him bustling about the kitchen.  
  
His mind is quiet for once.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
You soon start to relax as you fall into the familiar routine of cooking, hardly noticing the piercing gaze that’s been on you. You move about the kitchen with ease, multitasking as you prepare various things. It feels good to just turn your brain off and let your hands work. As much as you like to cook, you rarely do it for yourself, so it’s been a while since you did this, let alone had full reign. You mostly ate Sojiro’s cooking while in Tokyo, or got easy things like bread and instant meals, and the occasional eating out. You know that Akechi’s eating habits haven’t been much better either. He did tell you that he doesn’t cook, and that he didn't have homemade meals growing up…  
  
Hang on  
Did he tell you that last part… Or did you assume it…?  
Maybe you dreamed it… You did dream about him constantly, after all.  
  
Once the meal is ready, you set some aside for Morgana, along with a dish of water. You’ll have to get cat food tomorrow… among other things… Honestly he’s lucky the food on hand is something cats are able to eat…  
  
Feeling somewhat nervous, you bring two plates of your concoction over to the table where Akechi is sitting, placing one in front of him before setting your dish down across from it.  
  
“Is water alright? … There’s not really anything else to drink at the moment,” you say.  
  
Akechi nods, wearing an unreadable expression. You turn around and search through one of the upper cabinets and pull out two glasses. You fill them with water from the tap, and return to the table, placing one by Akechi’s plate before sitting across from him.  
  
“We have a built in filter, so…” you trail off.  
  
Akechi takes a drink, closing his eyes as he does so. He seems satisfied, much to your relief. Next you hold your breath as he raises his chopsticks to his mouth.  
  
You watch his face closely as he takes that first bite. It’s subtle, but there’s definitely a reaction… You’re just not sure if it’s a good reaction… You wait patiently as he chews slowly, then swallows.  
  
Crimson tinted eyes flick up at you, and you swear you see fondness in them for just a moment.  
  
“It’s delicious… You’re quite skilled in the kitchen, considering you were able to make this with the little that was on hand,” Akechi says, the compliment rolling off his tongue like it’s the most natural thing in the world.  
  
You nearly choke as your heart catapults itself into your throat.  
  
You look away, and fiddle with one of the curls that partially hide your eyes. “...Thanks…” you murmur, then pick up your own chopsticks and start to eat.  
  
The two of you talk naturally after that, discussing a novel you read recently. You can’t help but enjoy it immensely as he argues against all of your points, a deep sense of adoration welling up in you from it.  
  
You missed this.  
  
-  
  
After dinner, Akechi helps you clean up. It’s appreciated, but standing so close to him as he hands you dishes to dry and put away makes you feel bashful. You hope he doesn’t notice… or maybe you hope that he does.  
  
With the kitchen spotless again, you return to the living room, turning the lights off and yawning as you go.  
  
“You seem quite tired, Ren. Did you not sleep well last night?”  
  
Akechi’s leaning against the wall by the stairs, facing you with an expression and body language that you haven’t seen from him before.  
  
Your heart does something weird inside your ribcage at the sound of your name coming out of his mouth. He’s called you by name before… so what’s different this time…? Is it because he’s in your house? Because he’s been gone so long…?  
  
Or maybe it’s the way his voice and eyes are softer than what he usually regards you with.  
  
You’ve always liked all sides of him, finding even the pointed disdain he’d often show you endearing… But this softer side… It may just be lethal.  
  
“Mm… I suppose I didn’t…” you reply, rubbing the back of your neck as you glance away for a moment. You look back at him, and his eyes seem like he wants to ask you more, though he doesn’t.  
  
He then turns his head away, stifling a yawn of his own. You smile slightly.  
  
“Did you not sleep well either?” you tease.  
  
“Hm. I suppose not,” he replies, facing you again and matching your expression.  
  
You gaze at each other for an extended moment, eyes lingering a little too long as you contemplate telling him exactly why it was that you didn’t get good rest…  
  
“Ahem… Uhm. I can show you where the bathroom and towels and such are, if you want to shower first…” you ramble, looking away first.  
  
“Lead on,” he replies simply.  
  
You are hyper aware of how close he is as you move past him. It feels like the air around you is buzzing; pricking you as you make it by with barely an inch between your bodies… It’s a narrow area, there by the stairs. In the back of your mind, you sing praises to the builders and architects that made it as such.  
  
You still feel a bit tingly when you reach the top of the stairs. You point out the bathroom to him, stating that the towels are on a shelf just inside the door, fresh robes next to them, and everything else should already be inside the shower.  
  
“Oh, and there are new toothbrushes in the second drawer under the sink,” you add as you back towards your room. “...I’ll be just across the hall…”  
  
He nods, and disappears into the bathroom.  
  
You open the door to your bedroom, and collapse into the middle of the floor with a deep sigh.

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Ren’s previously stiff looking back has relaxed now as Akechi fondly watches him move about the kitchen like he belongs there. The way Ren commands the space feels practiced, professional; as if he’s been doing it forever… Akechi briefly wonders just how much experience Ren has, but doesn’t dwell on it, instead electing to enjoy the performance happening in front of him.  
  
Akechi’s watched him before, whether it was as Ren, the barista, making coffee, or as Joker, battling in the Metaverse, but hadn’t ever given much thought to how he _moves_ . It’s only now that Akechi realizes Ren is graceful. Elegant, even, and precise, with no wasted movements. It’s rather fascinating to watch, and gives Akechi a fluttery feeling in his stomach.  
  
Delicious smells begin to fill the room, and Akechi’s mouth waters as his stomach rumbles. Despite a habit of skipping meals in favor of work, he doesn’t think he’s ever felt this hungry before…  
  
It doesn’t take long before Ren is setting down a plate of what has to be the most plain looking yet _amazing_ smelling dishes he’s ever been presented with.  
  
“Is water alright? … There’s not really anything else to drink at the moment,” Ren says as he sets a plate for himself across from Akechi.  
  
Akechi nods, again bothered by the way that statement was phrased. If his family knew he was coming home, wouldn’t they have stocked this place up? Then again… they probably wouldn’t have changed the locks… or at least made sure to tell him… Akechi rubs his temple as he pushes these disturbing thoughts from his mind while Ren fetches two glasses of water.  
  
“We have a built in filter, so…” Ren trails off after setting down one of the glasses by Akechi, then takes a seat across from him.  
  
_Does he think I’d be bothered by tap water? I’m not so terrible as to complain about such a thing while acting as a guest in someone’s home…_ Akechi thinks to himself as he takes a drink. However, the filter is still appreciated, as the water is more crisp than he anticipated.  
  
He sets the glass of water down, and picks up the pair of chopsticks next to his plate, painfully aware of Ren’s anxious gaze - most likely waiting for a reaction to the food. He doesn’t think he’s ever been observed this intensely before, even after spending time as a celebrity. It’s a bit nerve-wracking, but he is quite hungry and eager to try this meal that was prepared for him, so he pays no mind.  
  
Akechi carefully selects the best looking piece and takes that first bite. The instant the food touches his tongue, he is in awe. It’s so surprising he’s not able to completely control his expression at first. This dish Ren prepared tastes fantastic, but that’s only part of it… Something about it feels… warm. Cozy. Comforting…. Like home.  
  
He looks up at Ren, meeting the boy’s anxious gaze, unable to fully hold back the rather strong feeling of fondness he’s experiencing at the moment.  
  
“It’s delicious… You’re quite skilled in the kitchen, considering you were able to make this with the little that was on hand,” he tells Ren, that same fondness seeping out into his words as well.  
  
The other boy’s expression and the way he nervously plays with one of the curls over his face as he says thanks tells Akechi that his compliment was well received. He smiles to himself, and continues to eat as Ren follows suit.  
  
Soon the mood shifts into something more natural as the two discuss and debate a novel that Ren read recently. As usual, the former thief’s ideas and conclusions about the context of the writing is ridiculous, and so, so wrong. Akechi can’t help but point out his idiocy and correct his misguided thinking. It’s quite fun, and Ren passionately argues back, not budging from his viewpoints. It makes for an entertaining way to pass the time, and just like always, Ren has opened his eyes to another way of viewing the world.  
  
Oh, how he missed this…  
  
-  
  
The discussion continues on for a bit even after they finish eating. Since Ren did all the cooking, and to show his thanks, Akechi helps clean up. He washes and rinses all the dishes while Ren dries and puts them away. It’s so perfectly domestic, and gives Akechi weird feelings similar to those that were swishing around inside him when he thought about the romantic scenery during the walk over to this house. He’s also picking up on a strange kind of shy vibe from Ren… or is he imagining that?  
  
They finish up shortly and leave the kitchen. Ren trails after Akechi, turning the lights off as they exit the room, and yawning quite loudly as they enter the living room again. Akechi turns to face Ren, leaning against the wall next to the staircase. His posture is relaxed and lazy, like a big cat. He tilts his head slightly and asks about something that’s been bothering him since they met this morning.  
  
“You seem quite tired, Ren. Did you not sleep well last night?” Genuine concern softens his tone quite a bit, surprising not only himself, but also Ren judging by the boy’s expression and delayed response.  
  
“Mm… I suppose I didn’t…” Ren eventually replies, shyly rubbing the back of his neck as he glances away, though only for a moment.  
  
Akechi’s heart thumps as Ren looks back at him, and he desperately wants to ask why Ren hasn’t been sleeping, but doesn’t. Instead he ends up turning his face away as he crosses his arms and stifles a yawn of his own. He notices Ren smiling out of the corner of his eye.  
  
“Did you not sleep well either?” Ren teases.  
  
“Hm. I suppose not,” Akechi replies, looking back at Ren with a smirk that matches the one playfully dancing across the other boy’s lips.  
  
Their eyes meet, and Ren holds his gaze for much longer than he has previously. It makes Akechi’s pulse increase, and he wonders if what he thinks he sees in those eyes is his imagination or not… It looks like longing...  
  
“Ahem… Uhm. I can show you where the bathroom and towels and such are, if you want to shower first…” Ren says awkwardly, breaking eye contact first.  
  
The tension between them has heightened, but it doesn’t feel bad...  
  
“Lead on,” Akechi answers.  
  
Akechi is aware that Ren will have to go past him to get to the stairs, and that the area he’s standing in is rather narrow, not leaving much room for Ren to get by. However, he makes no attempt to move as Ren approaches him. He keeps his eyes on Ren, wondering if he’ll politely ask him to move, or…  
  
He’s not disappointed with how Ren deals with the situation. No, not at all … He gets so close that Akechi can feel his breath; shallow, as if he’s nervous. It gives Akechi goosebumps, and makes his pulse increase further. He wants to reach out and touch him; pull him closer to make that last inch disappear; watch the heat rise in his face and his eyes widen as Akechi leans in to steal a kiss…  
  
Instead, he tightens his arms around himself, and follows Ren after he’s gone by.  
  
The top of the stairs opens up into a decent sized landing, with various doors around. Ren points out the one to their left, naming it as the bathroom. Any items Akechi may need are contained within, in various places. Ren’s voice betrays his calm exterior, sounding a bit off from the usual smooth tone he speaks in. Akechi surmises he must be a bit flustered from their close encounter a moment ago… That thought brings him a sense of satisfaction.  
  
After describing the locations of the various things Akechi may need, Ren informs him that he will be in his bedroom, which is directly across from them. Akechi assumes the other two doors are most likely other bedrooms, presumably belonging to his parents, and perhaps one is a closet.  
  
He nods to Ren, signaling he has understood the information given to him, and goes into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He hears soft footsteps move across the hall and a door open. Ren has always been light on his feet. It’s something Akechi finds cute, though it makes it hard to keep track of where he is at any given moment, which can be a little stressful. He lets out a sigh, and prepares to shower.  
  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
_Holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit_  
  
Akechi is alive. ALIVE  
  
And in your HOUSE  
  
...Using your _shower_ …  
  
You turn over on your side, pushing down that train of thought before it goes much further.  
  
_Holy shit holy shit holy shit holy shit HOLYSHIIIIIT_  
  
Your heart won’t calm down. Your face is damp as you sob tears of relief, and it hurts from how utterly and completely split it is from this huge grin that won’t go away.  
  
You want to scream, but you can’t, so you roll around instead.  
  
“Uh... Ren? Are you okay?” a voice asks from nearby.  
  
You freeze, and lift your head slightly. Bright blue eyes meet yours, giving you an odd look as Morgana pads into the room and sits next to you.  
  
“...How long have you been there…” you ask.  
  
“I could hear you from downstairs,” the cat answers flatly.  
  
You turn over on your stomach and fling your glasses off as you groan dramatically, hiding your face in your elbow. The cat invites himself onto your back and lays down. The pressure is oddly comforting.  
  
“I know you’re happy, but don’t get carried away, okay?” Mona nags.  
  
You nod, and then sigh. The cat starts kneading his paws into your shoulder, and you lay there quietly for a minute as you enjoy the mini massage. Then you suddenly remember that you left your bag downstairs.  
  
Morgana hops away as you turn over again, and sit up.  
  
“Give a guy some warning!” he complains.  
  
You mumble an apology as you stand, then quickly and quietly go downstairs to retrieve your bag. As you re-enter your room, Morgana is gone.  
  
“Mona?” you call out as your eyes search around the room. You notice the curtain covering your window has an odd bulge that wasn’t there before. The cat’s head pops out from behind it.  
  
“I’m going out for a while, to explore,” he informs you.  
  
“Oh, alright. See you later,” you reply. You wonder if he’s leaving you and Akechi alone on purpose… Your face heats at the idea.  
  
You turn your attention back to the duffle bag, and start putting away its contents, leaving out a set of lounge clothes for after your shower.  
  
_Oh… he’ll need something to wear too…_ _I wonder what he’d prefer to sleep in…_ you think to yourself as you start digging around, looking for something Akechi might find comfortable. You settle on a baggy black t-shirt and a pair of grey lightweight knit pants.  
  
_I hope these are fine…_ you think as you neatly fold the clothes and set them on your pillow. You spend the next few minutes making up your bed, while trying not to think about Akechi in your clothes and in your bed as a strange feeling grows in your guts.  
  
You jump about a foot off the ground as you hear the bathroom door click open.  
  
You shift back into your typical air of nonchalance as Akechi enters the room, passing by him as you move toward your closet and he toward your bed. You will yourself not to have a physical reaction to the warm steam and soft scent of soap coming off him, swallowing hard as you stuff the now empty duffle bag into a corner of your closet.  
  
“It’s free…” he says as he sits down on your bed.  
  
You close your closet doors and look at him, unable to resist the urge to memorize his fresh-out-of-the-bath appearance (yes, you went to a bathhouse together last year, but that was a different case considering you spent most of the time trying _not_ to look at him).  
  
You immediately regret the decision as your heart nearly beats out of your chest.  
  
You weren’t prepared for how alluring he is in a bathrobe, the deep v gracing you with a teasing amount of exposed chest; and with wet hair… the long strands brushing his shoulders and sticking to his neck… you notice a droplet of water drip off such a strand and run down to his collarbone…  
  
You bite your tongue, using the pain to distract your brain from continuing down a very dangerous and inappropriate path.  
  
“...Ren?”  
  
You turn to stone. There’s no way he didn’t notice that you were practically drooling over him just now. You slowly raise your eyes to meet his gaze. Those crimson tinted eyes are looking at you with a mix of amusement and smugness…  
  
_Fuck_  
  
You cough awkwardly and look away, unable to keep the heat from creeping up your neck.  
  
“...Right… I’m… gonna go bathe…” you stammer, grabbing your selected change of clothes and hurrying out of the room.  
  
You close the bathroom door behind you, leaning against it as you smack yourself in the face with your clothes and leave them there. That was so mortifying… but so worth it. You sigh, sliding down onto the floor. When did you become a pervert?  
  
You calm down in the shower, keeping the water at a colder temperature than usual.  
  
Feeling refreshed, you dry off and get dressed, then fetch a new toothbrush, noticing another one in one of the holders by the sink… Akechi placed his next to where yours goes. You wonder if he did that on purpose, considering both spots were previously empty. A fuzzy feeling tickles your heart as you think about having matching toothbrushes side by side, and you catch yourself blushing in the mirror. You still entertain the idea as you brush your teeth… there’s no harm in that, right?  
  
Basic daily hygiene now out of the way, you begin your least favorite task… Drying your hair. You sigh as you take out the hair dryer from its place under the sink. This always takes a while because of how thick your curls are. You spend what you consider enough time on it, leaving it mostly dry as you put the tool away.  
  
It’s now time to go back to your room. You take a deep breath, and open the bathroom door. As you exit, you remember that you still need to get a futon from the hall closet. You move towards it, but notice something odd… Your bedroom door is still open, but the lights are off. Did he go to sleep already? You were hoping to talk to him some more first… You decide to peek your head in to see what’s going on.  
  
What you see in there takes your breath away…  
  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Akechi looks around the bathroom, taking in his surroundings and visually locating all the things Ren had told him about. He gingerly picks up one of the neatly rolled towels from the built in shelf next to the door. It’s soft… He wonders who in the house does the laundry, hoping for a moment that it’s Ren… It would be nice to have his clothes tended to with such care in the future… he’s never been very good at it himself…  
  
_Wait… what the hell am I thinking about??_ he chides himself, abruptly ending that train of thought.  
  
He sighs again, and moves towards the shower, hanging the towel up on one of the hooks next to it, then turns on the water and begins undressing. He folds his clothes neatly, leaving them on top of the hamper nearby for lack of a better place. Once the water’s warm enough, he climbs into the shower. For some reason he feels kind of nervous. Something about taking a shower in the same place Ren does makes him feel… weird.  
  
He closes his eyes and focuses on the stream of hot water pouring over his head, finding it soothing. He tries to clear his thoughts, and does with some success, but still can’t stop the tingly warmth that’s been slowly building up in his chest since he first laid eyes on Ren this morning. He’d already come to terms with the fact that he does have affection for the boy, but the longer he spends in his presence the more he feels that affection is not only growing, but may be much more significant than he initially thought. He ruminates on this as he bathes.  
  
-  
  
After his shower, Akechi stands in the middle of the room, tense, wrapped in a towel with arms crossed as he stares angrily at the bathrobes hanging next to the built in shelves. He’s currently battling with himself internally over the fact that he needs to wear _something_ , and putting his previously worn clothes back on isn’t acceptable… though… he also can’t quite bring himself to wear just the robe.  
  
He sighs heavily, pinching the bridge of his nose. There’s nothing unusual about putting on a robe after a bath… In fact, it’s quite normal. So why the hell does he feel so _nervous_ ?  
  
After a couple more minutes of internal struggle, he grabs a robe and puts it on, removing the towel in the process and hanging it up to dry. He closes the robe up as much as he can, covering as much skin as possible, though a little bit of his chest is still visible. He also tightly ties the belt to ensure nothing will come loose…  
  
With that out of the way, he turns towards the sink, thankful that Ren mentioned the supply of new toothbrushes in one of the drawers. It wouldn’t feel right to go to bed without having brushed, and it’s late enough now that he wouldn’t be able to just go out and buy one…  
  
_Shit… I really am ill prepared for this…_  
  
It’s bad enough that he spent money on a train ticket just so he could have access to the platform to meet with Ren… It’s another thing entirely to actually board the train and come all the way out here with absolutely no plan or provisions. Or even a change of clothes… Though he supposes Ren will provide something.  
  
Something in the mirror catches his eye, and he looks up to find that his face is slightly pink. He frowns, knowing it’s not from the heat of the shower, but rather the thought of wearing and sleeping in Ren’s clothes…. He sighs heavily.  
  
_I thought I got over that after the ordeal with his school tracksuit…_ he thinks, exasperated with himself.  
  
He quickly brushes his teeth and puts the toothbrush in one of the empty holders by the sink. He straightens up and takes a deep breath, trying to center himself before returning to Ren. His usual calm air of indifference in place, he moves to the door, and opens it.  
  
-  
  
Ren’s bedroom door is open, and Akechi quickly scans the room as he enters. To the left of the door, situated in the corner is a large armchair with an end table next to it. Along the connecting wall is a tall bookcase, filled with various tomes of different sizes, shapes, subjects. He would very much like to peruse this collection, but that will have to wait. Next to the bookshelf and somewhat centered across from the door is a simple desk, most likely used for studying as Akechi notes there is no computer. Moving further along the wall is a closet. On the far wall to the right is a window, with a bed below it, pushed against the wall longways, and a night stand beside it.  
  
Ren is by the bed, arranging a comforter. Akechi heads that direction, and the boys pass each other as Ren moves towards his closet while Akechi reaches the bed and sits down.  
  
“It’s free…” Akechi says, referring to the shower.  
  
He notices Ren seems a bit tense as he shoves his duffle bag into a random corner of the closet and closes the door. He watches him curiously, wondering what’s on his mind to make him act that way, and ignore Akechi.  
  
Ren suddenly turns and looks at Akechi. Not in the face or eyes, as would be normal, but the rest of him… and quite intensely.  
  
He was being ogled. And not discretely.  
  
Ren’s face is slack and his grey eyes are wide, almost hungry looking. Something stirs inside Akechi, and he smirks, feeling quite pleased with the attention he’s getting. He watches Ren’s eyes move over him, and feels quite gleeful as Ren seems to bite his tongue. Having this kind of power over him is _satisfying_ .  
  
“...Ren?” he calls out, using a light and innocent tone.  
  
He’s quite amused as Ren goes so stiff that he looks like a statue. He holds in a laugh, as the other boy struggles to regain composure.  
  
“....Right… I’m… gonna go bathe…” Ren stammers. He grabs a pile of clothes and rushes out of the room.  
  
Akechi chuckles, covering his mouth with his fist and keeping his voice down so Ren won’t hear him from across the hall. He then relaxes, his heart filling with a warm fondness. He sighs softly, looking around the room again as he imagines Ren reading in the arm chair, or studying at the desk. He smiles softly, and turns towards the window.  
  
He pulls the curtain back and lets out a small gasp as the large, bright, full moon greets him, hanging low enough in the sky that it’s size is increased, but not so low as to be obstructed by the neighboring houses. Feeling the urge to see the night sky better, he rises from the bed and crosses the room, quickly turning off the light before returning.  
  
He crawls across the bed, situating himself in the middle and close to the wall where the window sits, legs running parallel to it as he folds them under himself and turns his face to look out at the moon.  
  
He stares at it, admiring its beauty and letting his mind wander as he waits for Ren.  
  


* * *

  
  
  
You stand frozen in your doorway, heart stopped, breath caught, taking in the vision before you…  
  
Akechi is sitting up in your bed by the window, still dressed in the robe. He has opened the curtain, and is gazing out the window at the sky, with a thoughtful look on his face. The moonlight spilling in from the part in the curtain bathes him in soft light, adding an enchanting air to the scene. You’ve never seen anything more beautiful… It makes you feel tingly all over.  
  
Slowly, you start to move. You quietly cross the room, approaching the end of your bed. You climb in from there and lay down, resting your head on Akechi’s lap. You expect him to flinch or fuss at you, or at least look a bit shocked or awkward. You would have been more prepared for that. Instead, he looks down at you with a soft expression, and what looks like affection in his eyes as he very lightly weaves his fingers into the curls on either side of your head. Your heart forgets how to beat again…  
  
You feel as if you’re hypnotized as you slowly reach your hand up and thread your fingers through the curtain of hair hanging down around his face.  
  
“...I’m not dreaming, right?” you murmur, the thought slipping out on its own.  
  
His mouth twists up into a smirk, though his eyes remain soft. “Why, did you dream of me often?” he teases.  
  
That line and expression is a near lethal blow… You fear you may have a heart attack at this rate.  
  
“Only every night,” you reply seriously.  
  
His eyes widen and he turns his face away as a deep pink blooms over his cheeks. The light and shadow cast by the moon makes it even more beautiful.  
  
“I thought it was only me…” he mumbles.  
  
Now you are caught in disbelief. He dreamed of you, too? ...a-and every night…?? Despite your deepest hopes you never thought he’d actually do such a thing… though you suppose he didn’t have any control over it, much like you didn't. You yearn to ask him what they were like, but you’re sure he’d be too embarrassed to tell you. So instead, you start telling him about yours.  
  
You go over various dreams, not including the ...steamier… ones. Most of the ones you talk about are just seeing him in places, or having conversations. Sometimes you’d dream about going to the Jazz Jin and whispering seemingly important things to each other, though you couldn’t remember the words after waking. You also tell him about one of your favorite ones, where you went to the beach together, just the two of you; a relaxing day on an empty stretch of sand, the ocean calm. It was peaceful, and cathartic. You could enjoy each other’s company without any pretense; free from the roles and obligations cast upon you in reality.  
  
He listens intently, still blushing a bit, though you can’t read his expression. At least until you get to the beach dream. You see a flash of longing and sadness in his eyes as you describe that scene.  
  
You also tell him about the most recurring one; the one you started having after coming back to this reality… It mostly consisted of you calling out to him as he was far away, but each time you had it, he got a little closer… Up until last night, when he finally was within reach and started to turn around, though you woke up before you saw him clearly. You think you see a hint of recognition in his gaze. You joke about it being a premonition.  
  
“Does that happen often?” he asks. He looks serious this time.  
  
“Mm… Sometimes? It’s not the first dream I had that had some kind of significance in the waking world,” you reply.  
  
You can see his mind working as you look at each other, and you wonder what he’s thinking so hard about. You’re about to ask him when he opens his mouth, then closes it again. Your heart flutters for a second at the cute display, and you hold back a giggle. After a moment, he tries again.  
  
“...Y- … We… seem to… have had similar dreams…” he mumbles finally.  
  
You blink, and stare at him.  
  
_...What…?_  
  
He covers his face with his hands, though you can still see the red through his fingers. “What kind of fate is this…” he murmurs.  
  
You can’t hold back your laugh this time, and he glares down at you between his fingers. You giggle more, taking a minute to regain your senses. A warm smile covers your face as your heart fills with a deep affection. You lift your hand and take one of his, lower it to your lips and lightly kiss his fingers. He makes a complicated face as you gaze at him lovingly.  
  
“...What…” he asks nervously.  
  
“...Nothing…” you reply, maintaining eye contact as you let go of his hand. You raise yours and touch his hair again. “We should dry this…”  
  
He nods in response.  
  
With that, you get up and leave the room. You go back into the bathroom and fetch the hair dryer from its place, then return to your bed. Akechi moves so that you can sit behind him, and you proceed to dry his hair.  
  
You run your fingers through the silky strands as you work, making sure you don’t miss any areas. Your pulse is slightly elevated as you think this kind of interaction feels kind of… intimate… in a way. The both of you are silent as this goes on, at least until your fingers accidentally brush the back of his neck. You hear a slight gasp as he shudders from the contact, and you feel your heart rate spike dramatically. Neither of you say anything, and you continue on as if it didn’t just happen… though you wonder what he’s thinking.  
  
It’s not long before you finish, and move away from him as you click the hair dryer off. Out of curiosity, you glance at the clock on the wall that’s hanging over your desk. It’s gotten late.  
  
“...We should probably get to bed…” you murmur.  
  
Akechi glances at you, then the clock. “Ah… yes, it’s gotten quite late, hasn’t it?”  
  
“...Yeah…” you reply. “Oh… You can have the bed… I’ll get a futon from the closet for me. And there’s some clothes for you there on the pillow if you want to change...” you tell him. That sounded normal, right?  
  
He nods in acknowledgement, and you exit the room, bringing the hair dryer with you so you can put it away.  
  
-  
  
You quickly move across the hall and into the bathroom, putting the hair dryer back in its place. Next stop is the hall closet that you got distracted from previously. You open the door and scan the inside for the item(s) you need, finding them after a moment. Futon. Blanket. Pillow. You gather them up in your arms, and go back to your room.  
  
Again, you freeze upon entering.  
  
You’ve gone about your tasks too quickly, as Akechi is still changing. He has the pants on, but is still fiddling with the shirt as your eyes fall on him after entering the room.  
  
You are frozen because of what you see on his torso. The moonlight that previously cast an enchanting kind of lighting in the room is now illuminating scars… Two rather large and intense looking ones situated with one near the center of his upper back and the other above his right hip, and accompanied by many smaller ones scattered across his torso, with a few around his shoulders and upper arms, all still quite red…  
  
He must have either heard you enter or sensed your presence, because he suddenly looks over his shoulder as he’s about to put his arms up to pull the shirt on. His eyes flash a deep crimson with anger.  
  
“Don’t look at me!” he growls, then quickly tugs the baggy t-shirt on as he turns away from you again.  
  
You drop what you’re holding, tossing the items to the side as if they are no longer of importance. And they aren’t… not at this moment.  
  
You glide across the room, reaching him in two large steps. You put your arms around him, hugging him from behind as you tilt your head down, resting your forehead against his nape.  
  
“...I’m sorry…” you murmur.  
  
It’s all you can think to say. You weren’t able to save him, and he’s suffered through so much alone.  
  
Akechi wrenches himself out of your arms and sits on the bed.  
  
You stand there for a moment, unsure of what to do… but then you notice that he’s crying; face all scrunched up with tears running down… It completely wrecks your heart.  
  
You move again without much thought, and stand before him. You gently place your hand on his shoulder as you lean down and kiss his forehead. He pushes you away, but there’s no real strength behind it…  
  
You look at him briefly, but he won’t meet your gaze. He flinches slightly as you raise your hand, but stays still as you gently cup his cheek. On impulse, you decide to do something you’ve been wanting for a long time. You tilt his face upward, guiding it towards yours as your other hand finds its way into his hair. He seems surprised by the sudden movement, but you don’t give him time to respond as you lean in and press your lips against his. Your already racing heart feels like it’s bursting now as contact is made.  
  
He goes stiff, probably in shock from your action. For a fraction of a second you fear that he’ll get angry and push you off…  
  
But he doesn’t.  
  
He does the opposite.  
  
He grabs onto your shirt with both hands, clinging tightly as he pulls you closer and kisses you back.  
  
You feel faint again as his lips part slightly and start to move against yours. You sense a needy sort of desperation behind it, as if he’s reaching for something he’s been longing for.  
  
Tears start to fall from your eyes as you feel overwhelmed with emotion. You’re not quite sure if it’s all from you, or if some of his intensity is spilling over and affecting you as well… All you know is that your head is spinning, your heart is out of control, and this is the greatest moment of your life so far.  
  
His lips are soft and warm, and there’s a hint of mint on his breath. He feels amazing..  
  
After a couple moments that really weren’t quite long enough, he breaks away first and hides his face in your chest. He feels warmer than normal.  
  
You hold him and stroke his hair, burying your face in the soft chestnut locks.  
  
“Goro… I love you…”  
  
He clings to you more tightly.  
  
“... I always have…” you whisper.  
  
You kiss the top of his head and continue to stroke his hair as you hold onto him a few moments longer.  
  
When he seems a bit calmer, he moves back, scooting across the bed towards the wall, and pulling you with him. You climb into bed with him, pausing a moment to grab the covers and pull them over the both of you as you curl up together.  
  
He’s still clinging to you, and you still have your arms around him with a hand in his hair, gently caressing his scalp. You kiss his forehead, and feel him start to relax as he snuggles closer to you. Your tears have since dried, and you’re still concerned for him, but laying with him like this makes your heart feel warm and full for the first time in your life.  
  
His breathing slows, getting deeper and more even. You hug him closer for a moment, kissing his head again and breathing in deep. The scent gives you a tingly feeling in your heart and you smile into his hair.  
  
“Goodnight, Goro…” you whisper, “I love you”

  
  


* * *

  
  
  
Akechi has always loved looking at the night sky. As a child, he memorized all the constellations and their various meanings, and he is quite pleased now to find that he can see many more of them here than he ever did in the city or its outskirts, though he still tried.  
  
Something about staring up at the heavens has always been soothing to him, while watching and tracking them as they move is fascinating.  
  
He wonders if Ren ever takes advantage of this exceptional view, and how often… He can picture him sitting here, just like this, looking at the sky. Somehow, he feels a bit closer to him now.  
  
His train of thought shifts as he watches the moon, noting the visible patterns craters have left on its surface. He wonders how things came to be this way … He still has no memory from the time of facing himself in the engine room until he awoke in Maruki’s false reality… and then another blur after defeating him then waking up in a hospital. He’s been told that it’s not unusual to have memory loss surrounding a traumatic injury, but he’s still deeply bothered as to how he survived…  
  
He sighs, and shifts his thoughts again, not wanting to dwell on things he doesn’t have an answer to. Instead, he thinks about Ren. That warm burning deep in his chest ignites again as his mind floods with images of that messy haired buffoon, starting with the expression he made when he first saw Akechi this morning. Just thinking about it is enough to make Akechi’s heart race. No one has ever regarded him in such a way.  
  
And yet, he’s still surprised Ren accepted him so readily… He’s well aware of what a sentimental sap the fool is, but he still expected _some_ kind of opposition, however small, considering all the terrible things he did beforehand. But there was no hint of that within Ren… so why? Why is he being so accommodating? Going so far as to bring Akechi into his home and welcome him, treating him like a special guest who should be carefully cared for.  
  
He can tell the other boy still has feelings, what with the way he looks at him, but isn’t this still a bit much? Or is it to be expected?  
  
Regardless of any of that, Akechi appreciates Ren’s treatment and care. It makes him feel comfortable in a way he never has before… and warm…  
  
Suddenly there’s movement on the bed as Ren climbs in, laying down and using Akechi’s lap for a pillow like his head just belongs there. Akechi didn’t notice him come in, but isn't startled, nor bothered, no. Instead, he’s touched.  
  
He looks down at the object of his affection, caught in a rare unguarded moment as he lightly threads his fingers through the boy’s soft curls.  
  
Ren seems quite enchanted, which just softens Akechi’s heart more. He nearly melts as the other boy runs his hand through Akechi’s hair and looks at him like he’s the only thing that matters in the world.  
  
“...I’m not dreaming, right…” Ren murmurs softly.  
  
Akechi’s heart quivers at his voice, and the words said. Was Ren’s sole wish really just to have Akechi back? He twists the curls around one finger as he starts to smirk a little.  
  
“Why? Did you dream of me often?”  
  
That got a nice reaction… He quite likes the look of surprise and bashfulness on Ren’s face. He wonders if his heart is racing…  
  
“Only every night,” Ren responds.  
  
Now Akechi is taken aback. He wasn’t expecting that kind of line… and the implications. Not only that, the fact that he also has dreamed of Ren just about every night. He can’t stop the heat rising to his face as he looks away.  
  
“...I thought it was just me…” he mumbles.  
  
He can see from the corner of his eye that Ren is astonished, the look of shock slowly turning into one of joy and excitement. Of course he’d react that way. He also looks like he wants to ask Akechi about his dreams, which he sincerely hopes he doesn’t, because there is _no way_ Akechi would be able to tell him.  
  
Much to his relief, Ren doesn’t ask.  
  
And as expected, Ren tells Akechi about his own dreams.  
  
Akechi listens intently to Ren talk, his soft voice soothing as he describes various scenarios with a small smile, looking a bit shy at times. Akechi is moved by how adorable he is right now, and desires to kiss him on his stupid cute mouth, if for nothing more than to make him shut up for a minute and stop swaying his feelings. However, he continues to listen, thoughtfully caressing Ren’s irritatingly soft curls as he takes in everything Ren says.  
  
The more Ren goes on, the more Akechi gets an odd feeling…  
  
Ren’s dreams are eerily similar to what Akechi has dreamed.  
…So much… TOO much. To the point where they are essentially the same.  
  
This… this is impossible.  
  
What kind of fate is this? What kind of connection do they have that would cause them to have the same dreams? Is this normal? … Akechi thinks not. It’s too far-fetched.  
  
Ren is still describing different scenes to him, and Akechi is listening more intently than before. But when Ren gets to the beach dream, something inside him shifts.  
  
He remembers that one, quite a bit more than the others. He’s had it more than once, each time relishing in the comfort of it while simultaneously despising it for showing him something he could never truly have.  
  
At least… that’s how it used to be… But what of now?  
  
When Ren moves on to talking about the recurring dreams of calling out to Akechi and having him slowly get closer, he feels a deep pang of familiarity, despite not remembering those in particular. Ren jokes about those being a premonition, but Akechi isn’t amused.  
  
“Does that happen often?” he asks.  
  
“Mm… Sometimes? It’s not the first dream I had that had some kind of significance in the waking world,” Ren replies.  
  
_… Was he somehow calling me back from my comatose state…?_  
  
No… There’s no way. It’s just a coincidence…  
  
Even so, he can’t help feeling overwhelmed.  
  
“...Y- … We… seem to… have had similar dreams…” Akechi stammers.  
  
Ren blinks, wide eyed, and stares at him.  
  
Akechi feels his face go hot, and immediately hides it in his hands.  
  
“What kind of fate is this…” he mumbles.  
  
Ren laughs, and Akechi glares at him through his fingers, though it doesn’t have much effect. He was hoping it would shut Ren up, but instead the boy shows him an impossibly warm smile as he reaches up and takes one of Akechi’s hands, pulls it down and lightly kisses his fingers. The look in his silver eyes is soft, romantic. It fills Akechi with panic.  
  
“...What…” he mutters nervously.  
  
“...Nothing…”  
  
The look in those eyes doesn’t change, but Ren does let go of Akechi’s hand. Opting instead to gingerly caress the strands of wet hair that have been hanging down around Akechi’s face for a while now.  
  
“We should dry this…”  
  
Akechi can only nod in response, still feeling nervous.  
  
With that, Ren gets up and leaves the room briefly.  
  
Akechi’s still feeling vulnerable when Ren comes back. He didn’t have time to recover as Ren was only gone for a moment. He moves a bit as Ren returns, giving him space to sit behind him. He tries to keep his breathing even and his heart rate down, but it’s difficult with Ren sitting inches away from him, and out of his line of sight. He closes his eyes and concentrates on regaining his composure…  
  
That concentration is broken the moment the hair dryer clicks on and Ren’s fingers start moving through the wet strands.  
  
Akechi’s heart tries to escape his body as he’s filled with a tender emotion he hasn’t experienced in … well… Ever. There’s something so comforting and intimate about having his hair dried for him… but it’s not just that… It’s the way Ren is so gentle.  
  
It reminds him of … her…  
  
Akechi suddenly recalls something from his childhood that’s been buried deep for many years. On good days, she would dry his hair just like this after a bath, while humming lullabies or nursery rhymes… It always made him feel loved; like he was precious.  
  
How the fuck is Ren doing the same thing to him now?  
  
He wants to be angry about it, but he can’t… he’s too weak to this.  
  
He sits silently, eyes closed, focusing all his concentration to the nerves in his head like his life depends on it. Ren’s touch is so light and soft… each instance of it sends pleasant tingles through his brain and down his spine. It’s phenomenal.  
  
Then one touch in particular strikes him in a different way…  
  
Ren’s fingers lightly brush the back of Akechi’s neck, probably an accident… but the sensation makes him gasp and shudder as a flash of heat shoots down his spine, and he’s filled with an emotion that makes him blush much more than previous instances.  
  
He tries to push it from his mind, but a small part of it still lingers.  
  
After some time, the hair dryer clicks off, and Ren moves away.  
  
“We should probably get to bed…” he murmurs.  
  
Akechi turns and looks at him, then follows his gaze to an analog clock hanging on the wall above his desk. Is it really that late already?  
  
“Ah...yes. It’s gotten quite late, hasn’t it?” Akechi replies, internally relieved that at least his voice sounds normal even though he himself is still out of sorts.  
  
“...Yeah…” Ren agrees. “Oh… You can have the bed… I’ll get a futon from the closet for me. And there’s some clothes for you there on the pillow if you want to change...”  
  
Akechi nods in response, then turns his attention to the clothes lying on the pillow behind him as Ren leaves the room.  
  
-  
  
He stares at the neatly folded black t-shirt and grey knit pants as if they are foreign objects that might prick him if he were to try to grab them. He shakes his head, and looks at the time again, realizing he’s wasted some just sitting here spacing out. Ren should be coming back in any second now…  
  
Akechi quickly gets up and pulls on the pants. They’re soft and comfortable… more so than he expected. Ren may not be the most fashionable, but he has good taste when it comes to this at least. He takes the bathrobe off next, folding it over and laying it along the head of the bed. He picks up the shirt and is about to put it on when he feels a chill go down his back.  
  
He looks over his shoulder to find Ren standing near the doorway staring at him. At his back… at the scars he never wanted him to see.  
  
Anger floods him as his brow furrows and he scowls.  
  
“Don’t look at me!” The words come out sounding quite harsh, but he doesn’t care right now.  
  
He quickly pulls the shirt on as he turns away from Ren’s piercing eyes.  
  
He crosses his arms over himself, tilting his head down as a mix of intense feelings swirl around in him.  
  
Then he feels something he didn’t expect.  
  
The sensation of strong arms wrapping around him as a warm body presses against his back, and the soft tickle of curls on the nape of his neck… It’s both comforting and infuriating, and Akechi doesn’t know how to react.  
  
“...I’m sorry…” Ren’s voice is soft, and full of remorse.  
  
Akechi can’t stand it.  
  
There’s no reason for him to sound like that, or feel that way.  
  
Akechi wrenches himself out of Ren’s arms, shaking his head as he sits down on the bed.  
  
Ren stands in place for a moment, probably in shock… but… after a moment he moves again… walking right up to Akechi and leaning over him.  
  
Akechi registers the feel of a hand on his shoulder and something soft being lightly pressed against his forehead, but he pushes back.  
  
He feels Ren looking at him, but won’t meet his gaze. The turmoil raging within him won’t allow it. He senses movement and flinches as Ren raises a hand, but stills again as he realizes it’s not a threat.  
  
That warm hand gently cups his cheek, and he has half a mind to lean into it …  
He considers it, but before he can make a decision, his face is being moved. He barely registers Ren’s other hand going into his hair as he is preoccupied by the fact that the boy's face is getting closer and _closer._  
  
He tenses up as their lips make contact, and every negative emotion he was feeling is blown away. His previous resolve to hold back vanishing with them.  
  
Swept up in the moment, he grabs onto Ren’s shirt, clinging for dear life as he gives in to his desire and kisses him back.  
  
His body feels like it’s both burning and being electrified as their lips crash and move over each other repeatedly. His heart is pounding unbearably loud in his ears, and he feels like he’s crumbling, but he lets it happen. He’s so tired of holding himself together.  
  
He melts in Ren’s embrace, eventually breaking away from the kiss in favor of burying himself into Ren’s chest. Ren’s heart beat is just as erratic as his own… He finds comfort in that as Ren puts his arms around him, stroking his hair and burying his face in it. He doesn’t deserve to be soothed like this, but he doesn’t have the strength to deny it either.  
  
“Goro… I love you…” Ren murmurs, “...I always have…”  
  
Akechi’s entire being tenses up as he clings more tightly to Ren….  
  
He _really_ doesn’t deserve those words… but he can’t help but to feel pure, unbridled joy at the phrase he’s so desperately wanted to hear… a sincere sentiment…  
  
He wants to cry again but he won’t let himself… Instead, he sinks further into Ren’s comfort as the other boy kisses his forehead and continues to hold him while gently stroking his hair.  
  
It takes a few minutes, but he does calm down some, and once that happens, he’s hit with an intense wave of exhaustion. He really wants to lie down, but he doesn’t want Ren to leave his side…  
  
_Hell… I’ve already embarrassed myself… might as well…_  
  
He starts to move backward, scooting to the inside of the bed while dragging Ren with him. Ren comes willingly as Akechi knew (hoped) he would, and they lie down together, with Ren pausing momentarily to grab the comforter from the foot of the bed and pull it over them, creating a warm, safe cocoon.  
  
Akechi is still clinging to Ren’s shirt as he snuggles up to him, while Ren kisses his forehead again and envelops him in a gentle hug, one of his hands finding its way back into Akechi’s hair as it starts massaging his scalp. It feels so nice Akechi almost lets out a groan.  
  
He relaxes completely, listening to Ren’s heart beat as his breathing starts to slow and get deeper, signaling the first signs of sleep.  
  
His heart swells in his chest as he starts to drift off, feeling another hug and kiss from Ren, as well as the soft whisper of sweet words in his ear…  
  
“Goodnight, Goro… I love you…” 


	2. A Special Place

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ah, there it is!” Ren says cheerily from the TV corner. 
> 
> The happiness in his voice warms Akechi’s heart, and he looks away from the cat thing, focusing back on Ren as the boy inserts a DVD into the player while humming, a pleased look on his face. 
> 
> _How can he be so cute…_
> 
> Akechi’s heart skips as grey eyes are suddenly on him, and moving closer. He swallows, hard, as Ren settles on the couch next to him, leaning against him as he stretches his legs out over the rest of the couch. 
> 
> Akechi can feel his pulse in his ears. “...Do you really have to take up all the space?” he hears himself saying. 
> 
> Ren tilts his head back and looks up at Akechi, “Hm? Did you want to lie down…?” 
> 
> This angle is too much…
> 
> “...No…” Akechi murmurs, trying to keep the heat in his chest from spreading. 
> 
> “Oh? Then that means I can stay like this, right?” Ren teases, his expression flirtatious as he bats his eyelashes at Akechi. 
> 
> Akechi fails to hold his blush back after _THAT_ and resorts to covering Ren’s face with his hands instead. “D-Don’t look at me like that!” he stammers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My apologies for taking so long with this chapter! I intended for it to be out much sooner, but concentration issues and life things happened, and I didn't want to rush it. 
> 
> It is also quite a bit longer than the first chapter, but I hope it will still be enjoyed all the same 
> 
> Edit 2/25/2021: This chapter now includes a lovely piece of artwork at the end! Please see end notes for artist info

**3/21**

  
  
A beam of sunlight coming through the still parted curtain shines across Akechi’s face, causing him to wake quite early. Despite the hour, he feels well rested and refreshed, something that never happens. He blinks slowly, not recognizing the wall and window that his head is turned toward as he takes mental note of his physical condition and number of limbs; something that has become a habit over the last few months. Somehow he ended up on his back even though he is usually a side sleeper, and while it seems his appendages are all still connected, something is preventing him from moving his left side… Something warm… Something big and warm, curled up against him, with an arm draped across his torso in a loose hug, and the palm of a soft, warm hand gently pressed against the scar on his hip… it having found its way under the edge of his shirt.  
  
It takes Akechi a moment to remember just where he is...  
  
And whose warmth that is  
_Ren..._  
  
His eyes widen at the memory of the day before.  
  
_That’s right… I met with Ren and followed him home… we had dinner… took individual baths… and …_  
  
He closes his eyes tightly as he remembers what happened after that.  
  
_He saw me and I lost it… I can’t believe I broke down so easily…_  
  
Frustration and embarrassment work together to bring a flush to his face. Though despite being completely revolted with himself, that series of events wasn’t the worst thing…  
After all, he was able to experience something nice, for once.  
And be told the thing he’d been longing to hear for ages...  
From none other than Ren himself…  
  
Akechi’s heart starts doing some acrobatic shit at the thought of that. He puts his hand over his face as his mind replays the incident.  
  
Ren staring in horror at his scars  
Him turning away  
Ren hugging him and apologizing  
Him getting upset and pushing Ren away  
Ren ignoring that and invading his space again  
…. The kiss ….  
God, THE KISS  
  
If he were to describe such, it was the most horrific yet beautiful thing he’s ever had the pleasure of being forced up on him, and he’s both happy and relieved that Ren was the one to initiate… even though it was completely overwhelming.  
  
He’s pretty sure his whole body is the color of a boiled lobster now, and he’s not sure if he wants to cry or laugh out loud.  
  
This is all so staggering and _scary_ , having been so vulnerable, but…  
  
The way Ren comforted him…  
It was… nice  
Gentle  
Soothing…  
  
_...Loving…_  
  
He feels a familiar sting in the corner of his eyes. Irritated by the sensation and what it means, he quickly rubs them and takes in a slow breath.  
  
He remembers being so drawn in by Ren’s warmth that he shamelessly pulled the boy into bed with him, not wanting to be separated from that feeling of safety and security that he’s never had before… not that Ren needed much convincing. Or any, actually.  
  
Akechi lets out that breath slowly, and wonders which of those instances allowed him to get what was probably the best sleep of his life so far. Was it letting his emotions out? The comfort afterwards? Or was it simply having someone he cares for next to him…? Perhaps it was the combination of all three.  
  
He builds up the courage to turn his head and look at Ren.  
  
_Fuck…_  
  
His chest tightens as he discovers just _how close_ Ren’s face is to him; their noses nearly brushing when Akechi looks over. It should be no surprise, considering how the boy is curled up to Akechi, leaving no space between them as he hugs his side, clinging to him in a way that makes Akechi wonder if Ren thought he might disappear while they slept. Ren even has one of his legs entangled with Akechi’s, making him blush again.  
  
He looks back at Ren’s face, taking a moment to absorb the sight in front of him. Ren looks so peaceful… Angelic, almost… His breath hitches, and he’s filled with a fuzzy warm feeling as the desire to touch him grows.  
  
Akechi lifts his right hand (the one not trapped by a sleeping boy), and slowly reaches towards Ren...  
  
He’s about to gently stroke Ren's cheek with his thumb when something swats his hand away… A paw. Akechi adjusts his gaze to find Morgana lying atop Ren’s side and staring at him with a not-so-pleased expression. He puts his hand down.  
  
_What the hell is that look for? I’m not going to do anything bad to him…_ Akechi thinks as he squints back at the cat. They stare each other down for a moment, then Akechi very slowly and carefully removes himself from Ren’s grasp and climbs out of the bed. The cat annoyingly follows as he leaves the room and goes downstairs.  
  
-  
  
Akechi quietly makes his way into the kitchen with Morgana in tow. He ignores the beast at first, getting a glass of water and pretending the feline isn’t there watching him. He can’t keep it up for long, though, with Morgana staring at him so intensely.  
  
“What do you want, cat?” Akechi finally asks, the question coming out cold.  
  
“I’m not a- …Nevermind. I’m keeping an eye on you,” the cat replies.  
  
Akechi frowns. “I don’t need a babysitter. What exactly do you think I’d do?”  
  
Morgana looks like he’s trying to think of something, but can’t come up with an excuse. It’s strange seeing that type of expression on a cat… Akechi has witnessed many bizarre things by this point, and feline facial expressions are now one of them.  
  
“Well?” he questions.  
  
“Uhh…” the cat ineloquently stammers.  
  
Akechi sighs. “What do you really want?” he asks.  
  
Morgana jumps onto the kitchen table directly across from where Akechi is leaning on the counter, and sits. “What did you do to Ren?”  
  
“...Don’t sit on the table…” Akechi grumbles as he looks away, trying to avoid the question.  
  
“Don’t change the subject! What’d you do?” the feline persists.  
  
“What makes you think I’ve done anything?” Akechi challenges.  
  
“I saw how he was curled around you when I came in last night… He looked like he’d been crying again! How’d you upset him this time?”  
  
The accusatory phrasing and tone stick out to Akechi.  
  
_He looked like he’d been crying_ **_again_ ** _… How’d_ **_you_ ** _upset him_ **_this time_ **  
  
Guilt weighs heavily in his stomach. He swallows hard, and narrows his eyes at the cat.  
  
“...It’s not my fault if the fool gets emotional…” he says slowly, “...and I didn’t do anything… he’s the one who…” he trails off, stopping himself from revealing what exactly happened last night.  
  
“He’s the one who what?” the cat asks, now standing as if to emphasize his curiosity.  
  
“It’s none of your business,” Akechi replies. He can feel his ears burning as he turns away and takes a drink, attempting to look nonchalant. He glances back over towards the table, seeing the dubious look the cat is giving him. He still finds it weird that a cat can look like that…. Maybe he is a bit human after all.  
  
“Hmmm… Maybe I’ll just go ask Ren what happened,” Morgana says, then jumps off the table.  
  
“Don’t-” Akechi calls after him, suddenly moving from his spot against the counter.  
  
Morgana stops and looks back at Akechi. “Why not? Are you hiding something?”  
  
“That’s not it… Let him rest. He’s exhausted…” Akechi says, his voice softer now.  
  
Mona looks him up and down, assumingly evaluating Akechi’s intent with that statement. After a brief moment, he sits, tail twitching.  
  
“...What…” Akechi asks reluctantly.  
  
“You… seem genuinely concerned about letting him rest,” the cat replies, sounding kind of surprised.  
  
“Wha-? Of course I am! Why wouldn’t I be after how tired he was yesterday?” Akechi argues back, kind of pissed off that the cat is surprised at his concern.  
  
Morgana just grins in response. Akechi finds it disturbing.  
  
“Well! Since we’re letting him rest, YOU can get me breakfast,” the little shit proclaims.  
  
“Excuse me?”  
  
“Well… we don’t know how long he’ll be asleep for, and I’m hungry!”  
  
Akechi sighs. “...Will you leave me alone then?”  
  
Morgana nods. Akechi doesn’t trust it, but obliges anyway. He wouldn’t starve an animal… even a particularly annoying one. Plus Ren is rather fond of the cat for some reason.  
  
With another sigh, he scans the kitchen, locating a small door on the far side that could potentially be a pantry. He moves over there, opens the door, and - it is, though there’s hardly anything stocked in it. Anger bubbles up in him again as he stares at the mostly bare shelves.  
  
“Akechi? What’s the matter?” Morgana calls out from behind him.  
  
The cat must have some kind of emotional radar, because Akechi is sure he wasn’t outwardly showing any signs of how he’s feeling. He looks over his shoulder to find the thing back on the damn table. Ren really is too lenient with the cat.  
  
“...What do you know of Ren’s homelife? Has he ever talked to you about it?” Akechi asks, unable to keep the question from spilling out.  
  
“Huh? No… he hasn’t. Ren doesn’t really talk about himself much… Or at all. Why do you ask?” Morgana replies.  
  
Akechi wonders if the cat would have just as easily relinquished the information if Ren had told him anything.  
  
“Mm… I suspect it’s not great, considering…” he mumbles. His eyes scan the shelves again for something that he’d be able to give to Morgana. “Ah…” he murmurs, spotting a can of tuna. “Seems you’re lucky today, cat.”  
  
“I’m not a-! Oh whatever. What did you find?” the not-cat questions enthusiastically.  
  
Akechi turns around and holds up the can of tuna. Morgana’s eyes grow two sizes and start to sparkle, like some kind of cartoon. Akechi smirks.  
  
“Oh? You seem quite excited over a meager can of tuna for someone who claims to not be a cat…”  
  
The cat blinks and tries to defend itself. “Urk! I’m not! I mean… Uh… I’m just hungry! Anything would do!”  
  
“Uh huh. Get off the table while I prepare this… unless you want to find something on your own,” Akechi demands, crossing his arms as he frowns at Morgana.  
  
What can only be described as a scowl passes over the feline’s face as he grumbles and hops down off the table. Akechi nods with a sense of satisfaction, then starts looking through cabinets for some small bowls he can make use of. He finds the ones Ren used for the cat last night, and takes them out. He puts fresh water in one and sets it down, not missing how Morgana went straight to it and started drinking. Being such a busybody must be dehydrating. Next he turns his attention to the tuna. Without too much searching, he’s able to find a can opener in one of the drawers and quickly makes use of it. He empties the can into the second bowl, and places it on the floor next to the first. Morgana eagerly starts to dig in before Akechi is able to put the bowl down all the way. He sighs, and picks up the water bowl to refill it.  
  
“Tch. You’re welcome,” he grumbles.  
  
Muffled gibberish comes from the direction of the cat, and Akechi assumes it was some form of thank you choked out in between gulps and chewing, if any chewing was even happening.  
  
He sets down the freshly filled water bowl and takes a step back, tilting his head as he thoughtfully observes the strange feline. He seems quite protective of Ren, and Akechi is aware that he’s never been fond of him, so why? Why did Morgana approach him four days ago and tell him that Ren was leaving? Why help him? He seemed content with their reunion, and mostly left them alone, though Akechi really wasn’t paying any attention to the cat either, so it’s possible he missed some cues of irritation. But even so, he hasn’t been openly condemnatory… aside from this morning.  
  
Hold on…  
  
Was he the reason Akechi woke up in an odd position?  
  
Akechi sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. He sincerely hopes that isn’t the case, though he suspects that’s probably what happened. He was so dead asleep from exhaustion that he surely wouldn’t have noticed being poked, prodded, and pushed into a different lying position.  
  
“What the fuck…” he quietly breathes.  
  
Morgana’s ear twitches but he doesn’t turn his attention away from the now mostly gone tuna.  
  
Akechi waits patiently for him to finish, then leans down to pick up the empty bowl.  
  
“You didn’t need to wait for me,” Morgana says as Akechi takes the bowl away.  
  
“I want to wash this before Ren gets up,” Akechi replies simply.  
  
That earned him a quiet ‘hmm’ from the cat, which he prickles at, but doesn’t comment on.  
  
Morgana, apparently not one for silence, decides to start a conversation while Akechi washes the bowl clean of tuna remnants and mysterious beast saliva. He wonders if Ren was ever annoyed by the feline’s chattiness.  
  
“Why were you watching me eat? It was weird,” Morgana asks, clearly judging him for simply observing.  
  
“I was just thinking,” Akechi answers honestly.  
  
“Huh? What about? Do I eat weird or something?” the cat questions.  
  
“What? No. It didn’t have anything to do with your consumption of that tuna.... Though it would probably be in your best interest to chew more.”  
  
He can feel the glare without looking over.  
  
“What then?” Morgana presses.  
  
Akechi sighs.  
  
_Might as well just tell him… I doubt he’ll let it drop without an explanation._  
  
“...Well… I was just contemplating your recent behaviour… You approached me about Ren’s leaving, and seemed somewhat pleased at our reunion… And yet now you’re also acting like you need to protect him from me. It’s not odd to wonder about that change, is it?”  
  
Morgana eyes him warily.  
  
“I told you about his leaving for his sake. You don’t know what he was like after we came back… So when I saw you creeping around outside Leblanc I thought I’d say something to you to give you a push so he could at least see that you were fine,” Morgana starts.  
  
“Wha- I wasn’t creeping!” Akechi interjects.  
  
“And I’m not a cat!” Morgana retorts.  
  
Akechi grumbles and crosses his arms. “...Continue,” he relents with a scowl.  
  
“Since you’ve helped us before and seem to care about Joker I figured it was safe enough to give you the details so you could meet… I didn’t expect you to come home with us, though. But he seemed really happy so I let it slide. You seemed to be getting along okay, and after dinner I decided to give you guys some privacy so you could talk, and I wanted to look around… But when I came back later he’d obviously been crying, so I thought…”  
  
“You thought I did something,” Akechi finishes flatly. He frowns, and rubs his temple.  
  
“Well can you blame me? The past you guys have isn’t exactly happy…” the cat argues.  
  
Akechi glares at him for a moment, then drops his eyes and sighs heavily.  
  
“You’re not wrong about that, but things are different now. And while things … got emotional … I didn’t make him cry in the way you assume,” Akechi says carefully.  
  
Morgana tilts his head and looks at Akechi questioningly.  
  
“...It’s a long story and I don’t particularly like being vulnerable around others, so let’s leave it at that. Just be content knowing it wasn’t anything bad… Not that it’s any of your business anyway…” Akechi says, crossing his arms and looking away as he fights the anxiety prickling through his chest.  
  
Despite not directly looking at him, Akechi can still tell that Morgana is eyeing him … staring rather intensely again, as if he’s considering Akechi’s entire existence and judging it in that moment.  
  
Akechi keeps himself from scoffing. He doesn’t need anyone’s approval to exist or be close to Ren (aside from Ren himself, of course), but it _would_ be less troublesome if the cat was on their side…  
  
“...Okay,” Morgana says after what feels like an hour.  
  
_…That’s it?_  
  
Akechi blinks and stares at the cat.  
  
His confusion must be clear, because Morgana smirks at him before continuing.  
  
“You seem sincere enough… for you, at least. I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt for now, but know that I don’t fully trust you just yet,” the cat proclaims, then strides out of the kitchen, disappearing around the corner with a flick of his tail.  
  
Akechi remains standing in the same spot for a minute as he processes what just happened. Was that acceptance? Whatever it was, he decides that Morgana is, in fact, a humongous pain in the ass.  
  
He sighs again, and leaves the kitchen, turning the lights off as he goes. He scans the living room as he passes through it, and upon not seeing the cat, goes back upstairs.  
  


* * *

  
  
You wake up slowly, feeling a chill… Something’s missing. Sleepily, you reach out in front of you, searching for something, but all you feel is the mattress… something… some _one_ … is missing.  
  
_Akechi_  
  
You rocket forward, panic shooting through you as you sit up frantically. Was yesterday just a dream after all…? You’re about to tear up when you hear a very familiar voice.  
  
“Good morning, Ren.”  
  
Your head whips in the direction of the voice, and you see Akechi sitting in your armchair on the other side of the room, reading a book.  
  
_Oh, he’s… just reading… Thank god…_ you think to yourself as an intense wave of relief washes over you. At least, until another thought crosses your mind…  
  
_That means… last night actually happened_  
  
Your eyes widen and you feel like your face is on fire as you fall back down into bed, covering your face with a pillow as you remember the events from the night before…  
  
_I… accidentally saw something I shouldn’t_  
_He was so vulnerable… and I …_  
_I_ kissed _him_  
**_andhekissedback_ ** _oh god…_  
  
You squirm.  
  
_and I said I love him ohshitohshit_  
_I didn’t meant to it just slipped out_  
_...but he didn’t reject it…_  
_and he’s acting normal now…_  
_Does he not remember? Or were my feelings accepted?_  
  
Your heart flutters and you feel even more hot as you hear Akechi chuckle.  
  
“It’s rare to see you so flustered.”  
  
“...It’s your fault...” you respond from your pillow mask.  
  
“...Sorry about that… I woke first and was curious about your book collection,” he responds.  
  
You’re impressed that he could hear you. You could hardly hear you with how muffled that was…  
  
“He didn’t want to wake you up when you were sleeping so peacefully!” Morgana exclaims.  
  
You feel warm again. Mona may just be teasing, but there’s usually some truth in what he says.  
  
“Shut it,” Akechi scolds the cat.  
  
You hear movement; paw pads hit the floor, followed by soft footsteps that you’ve come to associate with Akechi.  
  
_ohnohescomingoverhere_  
  
You peek out from under the pillow, and see Akechi letting Mona out of the room, then closing the door. His gaze then falls onto you. Your heart trembles as he lightly coughs into his hand and starts to blush.  
  
_what is that about??_  
  
You hide again, curling into a ball under the blankets and putting the pillow back over your head. You’ve never felt this embarrassed/bashful/giddy in your life; and underneath all that, there’s still a strong anxiety twisting your insides.  
  
Then Akechi sits on the bed in the spot where your legs just were, and you’re overcome with the desire to hug him, or tackle him… be close to him somehow… You start to move, changing position under the blanket, turning around to have your head by him and your feet by the head of the bed and wall. You muster up whatever tiny shred of bravery is left hanging about, and swiftly partially emerge from your hiding place, claiming Akechi’s lap as a pillow.  
  
Your heart beats rapidly in your chest, fearful that he’ll complain or push you off… but that doesn’t happen. You wonder if he’s in shock, and try to picture his expression (you’re too scared to look). The thought amuses you for a minute, until something else happens…  
  
You feel slender fingers start to tentatively move through your hair. It’s a little surprising, but also feels good… He did this last night, too, while you were talking by the window under the moonlight… You feel a deep warmth start radiating out from your chest as you think about it…  
  
After a moment, Akechi says something… Something you really needed to hear.  
  
“...Don’t worry… I’m not going to disappear again.”  
  
_Don’t worry…_  
_I’m not going to disappear again…_  
  
Those words… so simple, yet they may be the most wonderful thing you’ve ever heard.  
  
You nod, feeling the tension leave your body as all your muscles slowly unclench, and the warmth in your heart grows. You’re impressed and touched that he was able to discern your fear, and then _comfort_ you… it’s so sweet…  
  
_maybe… this is an acceptance of my feelings…?_  
  
His words, the soft tone of voice, and the sensation of his fingers gently running through your hair is so soothing; no wonder he seems to like it so much…  
  
You’re already mostly melted when a second hand joins the first…  
Both hands.  
He’s using both hands…  
To play with your hair…  
  
Did the first get stuck? No...no it hasn’t felt like that…  
  
Does he… just like it that much??  
  
You can feel your face heat up again as it splits into a wide grin.  
  
And then, (one of) the single most greatest things of your young life happens:  
  
“...It’s so fluffy…” Akechi mumbles.  
  
_DIDHEJUST_  
  
You try to hold in the laugh that’s rapidly building up in you, but you can’t; it erupts loudly, tearing through you as you hold your stomach and gasp for air. Before you can recover, a pillow is shoved into your face.  
  
There’s no way he wouldn’t be embarrassed after that, but he didn’t need to be so violent about it. You make a noise of complaint, but he seems to ignore that.  
  
“Aren’t you hungry…? Let’s go have breakfast,” he says, sounding awkward as all hell.  
  
You peek at him from under the pillow. He looks mostly calm, but you can see the panic through the small cracks in that mask.  
  
“Only if you say how great my hair is,” you tease, poking his cheek.  
  
Much to your delight, Akechi blushes (while frowning, but hey, you’ll take what you can get; plus it’s cuter that way) as he says something about your hair being ridiculous.  
  
_What’s ridiculous is how much you looove it…_ you think, but don’t say. You can’t help but giggle, though, which prompts Akechi to shove that pillow back in your face. You whine again, but he seemingly pays no mind to it. How mean…  
  
You peek at him again. He’s looking away from you now, chin in his hand, face still red… and a smile on his lips. Your heart sings in your chest as you feel a glowing warmth flow from head to toe.  
  
He looks like he’s having fun… and it’s one of the most beautiful things you’ve ever seen.  
  
Your next movements happen very quickly.  
  
While he’s distracted, you raise up just enough to press a kiss against his cheek, doing your best not to completely lose it (despite making the first move last night, being _that_ close to him is still enough to turn your brain to mush). The adrenaline rush you get from that then makes it easy to roll off the bed and somersault across the floor to your door, like some kind of acrobatic performer (not that you’re unfamiliar with such things; you’d do more than this in the metaverse just for fun). You wear a proud smile as you stand and take in the look of shock on Akechi’s face.  
  
Slowly, that shock turns to a look of irritation that you are all too familiar with. You grin shamelessly.  
  
“...You…” he grumbles.  
  
“Would you like some breakfast, honey?” you ask, as brightly as you possibly can. You can’t resist letting your cheery smile turn into a smug one… he’s just too fun to rile up.  
  
Akechi chuckles in response, and you start to feel a little excited (again, _whatiswrongwithyou?_ ). You open the door, and watch him in anticipation as he slowly rises from his seat on your bed and starts moving towards you.  
  
Your pulse skyrockets as burgundy eyes lock onto yours. You can see something burning in that gaze; the recognizable fire of one set out to _defeat_ something. That coupled with the merciless smile he’s wearing sends a pleasant shiver up your spine.  
  
He steps close, and speaks to you in a low, almost menacing tone, “I’ll get you back for that.”  
  
You will yourself not to tremble. “Bring it on,” you respond boldly.  
  
You follow Akechi’s movement with your eyes as he holds your gaze and leans in, stopping near your ear. “Not yet,” he whispers. You shudder, both from the threat and his breath tickling you, and you feel your face catch fire.  
  
As he moves back again he’s wearing a bright smile, looking all too happy as he shoves you through the doorway and into the hall. You try to regain your composure as the two of you head downstairs.  
  
-  
  
As you go downstairs, you glance around the living room for Morgana, but don’t see him. You figure he must have gone out, and don’t think much more about it… You’re still distracted from that last interaction with Akechi; you still have goosebumps from the look in his eyes and the way he leaned in close, and you are trying your hardest not to let your imagination run wild with _certain possible scenarios_ that could have arisen from that…  
  
You head into the kitchen with Akechi trailing behind you. As you enter the room, he takes a seat at the table and starts to read. You briefly wonder why he doesn’t sit in the living room where it’d be more comfortable, but don’t say anything to him as you enjoy his company… and this way you can pretend it’s because he wants to stay near you (that thought gets your heart racing again… what if it’s true?? _youneedtocalmdown_ ).  
  
You focus on the current mission: breakfast. Though this one may be difficult to pull off, as there is very little food.  
  
“On second thought, maybe we should go out for breakfast,” you suggest as you look at the poor state of the refrigerator.  
  
“I don’t need anything fancy,” Akechi replies flatly.  
  
“Hmm… I don’t have the materials to make you coffee, either…” you continue, rummaging through the cabinets now.  
  
Upon not hearing an answer, you turn around. Akechi is leaning on his right elbow, propping his head up with that hand as he holds the detective novel in his left. He looks amazing even just doing something like reading… and being in your clothes as pajamas only adds to the appeal. Your mouth feels dry and you swallow.  
  
“Are you even listening?” you ask.  
  
“Of course. You’re needlessly worrying about what to make instead of just choosing the most efficient option,” Akechi replies, not even bothering to look up from the pages in front of his face. It makes you a little sad, but then again if he did look at you right now you’d probably blush again.  
  
_how can he look so good in those clothes? Is it because I’m not used to seeing him in something so casual?_  
  
“Well… we still need to go grocery shopping today,” you say with a huff, turning back to the sparse food stores in the refrigerator. You study the available ingredients again, and decide on a course of action; an _efficient_ course of action, as requested. You get to work, a calmness washing over you as you busy yourself with the preparations. Cooking has always been relaxing.  
  
A short time later, everything is done. Satisfied with the outcome, you serve up the breakfast on a couple of plates and pour two mugs of tea. You place Akechi’s in front of him before taking a seat on the other side of the table with your own, noticing that Akechi seems to be staring at his breakfast with a blank look.  
  
“Interesting choice,” he says.  
  
“Do you dislike it?” you ask, now fearing that you made something he hates or otherwise can’t eat. You watch him (a little too) closely as he takes a long sip from his mug, then shakes his head.  
  
“It’s not that… I just didn’t expect you to make a European breakfast,” he answers, setting the mug down. “You’re full of surprises.”  
  
Your chest buzzes and your heart melts at the line, and his expression; a rather soft looking fond smile like you’ve never seen before on him. You want to pinch yourself to make sure you’re not dreaming, but don’t because that would look weird.  
  
“Well, you asked for something efficient,” you say in response, internally marvelling at how normal it sounded even though you’re sure your face is probably betraying you. You tug at the chunky curl that normally makes its home in front of your eye, a habit you can’t keep from doing on occasion.  
  
“I suppose I did,” Akechi responds, the words following a light chuckle. “...Thank you for the food.”  
  
_I’d cook for you every single meal every single day for the rest of your life if it meant you’d look at me like that_ your mind whispers. You then decide that you would cook every meal for him anyway, regardless of how he looks. You smile back at him, unable(and unwilling) to hide the fondness behind it.  
  
You think you see a flicker of something in his eyes, but it’s only there for a fraction of a second and the rest of his face doesn’t show anything. Did you imagine that?  
  
The two of you soon fall into your normal comfortable dynamic, discussing various types of tea as you eat breakfast together. Your heart swells at the scene, and you briefly wonder if maybe every morning could be like this from now on. You don’t let yourself dwell on that thought, though; it’s too overwhelmingly wonderful that you’d burst into tears if you considered it for more than half a moment. Still, you secretly, selfishly, wish to have many many more moments like this.  
  
-  
  
After breakfast, you take the used plates to wash, refusing Akechi’s offer to assist. It’s just two plates - really not much to help with. He grumbles about it, but doesn’t seem too bothered as he settles back into his chair to read. You smile to yourself as you look at him a moment longer, then proceed with your chore. When that’s done, you make fresh tea.  
  
Akechi stares blankly at the mug you set next to him. It’s kind of adorable, and you try not to laugh.  
  
“What’s this for?” he asks.  
  
“I just felt like it. I was getting myself one so I thought you might like more, too,” you say as you shrug. You can’t tell him that you sensed he wanted more without saying anything… he’d think you were crazy.  
  
He stares at the cup a bit longer, and you wonder just what is going through his brain.  
  
“...Oh. Thank you,” he says finally, looking up at you again.  
  
Though delayed, the thanks is sincere enough to make you feel warm; your lips curve just slightly into a shy smile. Akechi’s eyes stay on you an extra beat, and you hope he doesn’t think your expression was weird… He didn't say anything, so it’s fine, right?  
  
You sip your tea, watching Akechi as he raises his mug to his lips as he starts to read again… it’s only after he sets the mug down that you realize you’d been staring at _just_ his lips… you get lost for a minute, thinking about how soft they felt before as you gaze longingly across the table… Soon your eyes move over the rest of him, taking full advantage of this moment to soak in the view. He really is beautiful; the soft chestnut hair and the way it hangs around his face, his delicate features, thoughtful expression, his posture and the graceful way he leans on the table…  
  
Suddenly he’s looking back at you through the corner of his eye. Your heart stops and you jump slightly.  
  
“...You’re not wearing them anymore,” Akechi says.  
  
Huh? What is he talking about?  
  
“The glasses,” he clarifies.  
  
Oh, right… You stopped wearing them since coming back home, having left them in the bathroom after you showered last night. That’s kind of a weird thing for him to bring up though… and just out of the blue like that…  
  
“Oh. Yeah, I don’t really need them. I mean, I never _needed_ them to see, but they were useful while on probation to give me a more unassuming appearance…” you answer. You rest your chin on your hand as you continue to study him. What was the point of suddenly talking about your glasses? He’s never done so before.  
  
He just hums an answer and goes back to reading. You observe, looking closely for any tells that might hint at what he’s thinking… You can’t see any, though you do think that you feel some anxiety coming from him… Maybe he’s bothered and liked you better with the glasses? You decide to ask.  
  
“Do you like me better with them on?”  
  
Your eyes widen slightly as he seems to go quite stiff in response to that question. Did you hit a nerve? He takes a moment to speak, and what comes out of his mouth makes you think you _did_ , though a different kind of nerve.  
  
“N-No… That’s not to say I dislike them either… I just… happened to notice you didn’t have them on today…” Akechi stammers. It’s far from the usual grace and composure he has when speaking, and it is extremely adorable.  
  
He glances at you, looking nervous. Your heart clenches, and you want to dive across the table, wrap him in a hug, and pepper his face with kisses… you wonder how he’d react to that. You decide to tease him a little instead.  
  
“So, you like me better without them, then?”  
  
You notice the tiniest flinch before he looks back at his book and starts to compose himself, seemingly recovered.  
  
“...Perhaps I do,” he says smoothly.  
  
While you expected him to try to rattle you, you still weren’t prepared; especially with how honest that sounded. You feel your face burn up and you look away from him for a moment, trying to catch your breath and calm the erratic thumping in your chest.  
  
A couple deep breaths later, you focus back on him, unable to keep your eyes from wandering in his direction. Your heart immediately starts acting up again as emotions swirl through your chest, threatening to spill over.  
“...’Kechi,” you say softly.  
  
You see him visibly stiffen, and though you can’t fully see his eyes, he looks … upset? Several thoughts go through your brain as to why that is, the most hopeful being maybe he liked being called by his first name by you, and is shocked that you didn’t keep up with it… How awesome would that be?  
  
You decide to test it.  
  
“Goro.”  
  
That… also got a strange reaction, though not necessarily a bad one. He just kind of looks like his brain stopped working… It’s kind of cute. You smile to yourself.  
  
“...I don’t recall giving you permission to call me that,” Akechi responds. Though his face is stoic, he sounds almost playful.  
  
The soft smile you had turns into a smirk. “Hm? Well you seemed displeased with my very clever nickname, so I thought I’d try using your first again, _Goro_ ,” you reply, emphasizing his name. It feels good to say, like something you should have been saying all along.  
  
Your heart does a somersault as you see Akechi _tremble_.  
  
_Oh shit, he_ does _like it…_ you think excitedly. He’s trying so hard to hide it, but you saw that reaction, subtle as it was.  
  
After a moment, Akechi closes his book and sets it on the table. You watch as he moves gracefully, casually leaning on one elbow, resting his chin in his hand as he tilts his head and meets your eyes with a pointed stare. Your heart rate picks up again. Being around him is better than cardio…  
  
“Mm… is that disapproval, or are you trying to hide your happiness?” you tease. You’re pretty sure it’s the latter, but it doesn’t hurt to check.  
  
He was better prepared for your attempt this time, as there was barely any reaction to that at all; just a minute flinch in his gaze.  
  
But what he does next could almost be considered attempted murder… or at the very least, emotioinal assault.  
  
You watch, eyes wide, as Akechi lowers his gaze, looking off to the side. He fidgets slightly, looking shy as he says, “...Of course I’m happy,” while blush spreads across his cheeks to the tips of his ears.  
  
It’s a critical hit.  
  
You choke, your own face burning hotter than it ever has (and is probably a brilliant deep crimson if you had to guess), as you turn away, covering your mouth with your hand and willing yourself not to have a damn heart attack because Goro fucking Akechi was _impossibly_ cute just now…  
  
You regain control of yourself and stand up quickly, your chair clattering behind you. Akechi looks at you with surprise.  
  
“Let’s go for a walk,” you say.  
  
He stammers a response in agreement, and you can’t help but smile fondly at him. Even that was cute. He seems a bit flustered, looking away from you before getting up to follow you out of the kitchen.  
  
You decide the walk won’t just be for fresh air; there’s somewhere special you want to show him...  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Akechi quietly opens Ren’s bedroom door, his eyes instantly locking on to the bed in the corner to the far right. Ren’s form is still in the same place, seemingly undisturbed and still asleep. Akechi lets out the breath he was holding and silently enters the room, closing the door behind him. He glances around the rest of the space, finding Morgana in the armchair and looking at him with an odd expression. He ignores that and wanders over to Ren’s bookshelf. He’d been curious about the collection since he first saw it last night, and now takes his time examining each title, the little smile on his face slowly growing as he looks through all of the books neatly arranged on the tall shelf.  
  
He finds texts on philosophy and psychology alongside an intriguing number of detective novels, and a few in other genres such as thrillers, horror, and fantasy. Further down the shelf, he also finds a number of texts concerning family law, which brings that unpleasant dread back into the pit of his stomach. Looking past those for the moment, he finds a few smaller texts covering various theories of fringe science, which are quite fascinating. He wonders how much of these Ren has read, and what he thinks about the theories within. He taps the spine of one of those books thoughtfully, then returns his focus to the detective novels, deciding to do some light reading before Ren wakes. He chooses one he hasn’t read before, and settles into the armchair, grateful that Morgana moved without being prompted.  
  
He spends some time getting lost in the book, hardly noticing his less-than-favorite furry companion has taken up residence on the back of the armchair and has been leaning on his shoulder while reading along. It’s not the worst thing he’s had to deal with so he lets it happen, not to mention arguing with the cat about it would be too much of a hassle.  
  
About an hour has passed when he starts to hear stirrings from the other side of the room.  
  
Akechi peeks over the top of his book as Ren starts to slowly move under the blanket, a barely audible groan escaping as he reaches out and paws at the empty space next to him. In the next moment, he sits up, straight and rigid, with a look of panic on his face.  
  
_Oh… Does he think I left?_ Akechi worries.  
  
“Good morning, Ren,” he calls out, gaining the attention of the other boy instantly.  
  
The look of relief on his face does something to Akechi, and he finds himself trying to will his pulse to calm as he swallows his heart back down from his throat.  
  
In the next moment Ren turns a brilliant shade of crimson and dramatically falls back down into the bed as he covers his face with a pillow. Akechi can’t help but chuckle at the display, and is pleased to be able to witness such a thing.  
  
“It’s rare to see you so flustered,” he muses.  
  
“...It’s your fault…” Ren mumbles from somewhere under the pillow.  
  
Akechi lets a genuine smile creep across his face as a warmth fills him.  
  
“...Sorry about that… I woke first and was curious about your book collection,” he replies.  
  
“He didn’t want to wake you up when you were sleeping so peacefully!” Morgana interjects.  
  
“Shut it,” Akechi responds to the cat, pushing him off the chair as he gets up.  
  
Morgana snickers as he trots over to the door, and Akechi is more than happy to let the nuisance out of the room. He closes the door again once Morgana is gone, then turns towards the bed. Ren is peeking at him from under his new home of the pillow. Akechi’s chest tightens and he coughs lightly into his fist, attempting to push down the thought of how fucking _cute_ Ren looks right now. This kind of manipulation should be illegal.  
  
Ren curls in a ball and covers his face again. Who knew the leader of the Phantom Thieves was this bashful? Akechi thinks it would be despicable if he didn’t find it so damn endearing. He smiles to himself and moves towards the bed, sitting in the space made available from Ren’s transformation as he sets his book down on the bedside table. A silent moment passes, then the mattress shifts…  
  
Ren is moving under the blanket, though Akechi can’t tell exactly how. As he’s about to say something about it, Ren’s head and shoulders pop out from the side opposite of where they had previously been. Akechi tempers his surprise as Ren lays across him, claiming his lap as a new pillow.  
  
_Ah… he must have been turning around then, so he could do this…_ Akechi thinks to himself as he tries to keep his cool.  
  
While this isn’t the first time Ren has used his lap as a pillow (he did so just last night after all), something about this feels different. Akechi slowly lifts one hand and starts carefully running it through Ren’s hair as he contemplates what the difference could be.  
  
He thinks back on how Ren was clinging to him in his sleep, and his look of panic just minutes ago when he woke up to an empty space beside him.  
  
_...He must have seriously been concerned that I would leave…_  
  
He realizes the anxious tension coming off Ren now is probably from that fear. The thought makes his heart hurt.  
  
  
“...Don’t worry… I’m not going to disappear again,” he says, keeping his voice soft.  
  
Ren nods, and Akechi feels him start to relax as he continues to play with the messy black curls that adorn the boy’s head. That cozy warm feeling is back, and Akechi lets it be as he enjoys this moment of respite.  
  
It doesn’t take long before Akechi’s other hand joins the first in the black abyss of waves centered on his lap. Having completely forgotten himself, Akechi has spent the last few minutes deeply involved in solving the mystery of Ren’s hair. He’s stroked, caressed, twirled, and brushed the unruly waves with his fingers, analyzing the texture and surprising elasticity and durability of these tresses; the softness and the way it bounces back is so… so…  
  
“...It’s so fluffy…” Akechi murmurs, unaware the thought has slipped out of his mouth for others to potentially hear.  
  
And hear it Ren did, judging from the laugh that erupts from him and breaks Akechi out of his spell. Embarrassed, he swiftly shuts the boy up by shoving a pillow into his face. Some kind of muffled groan or other such noise comes from the pillow, but Akechi ignores it.  
  
“Aren’t you hungry…? Let’s go have breakfast,” Akechi says, clumsily trying to change the subject.  
  
He senses movement and glances down to see a pair of amused feathery grey eyes peeking at him from under the pillow. He manages to keep a straight face as the stupid, weak muscle in his chest flutters about.  
  
“Only if you say how great my hair is,” the pillow voice teases as those eyes crinkle up from what Akechi is sure is a mischievous grin.  
  
His suspicion is confirmed as a pale hand appears and pokes his cheek.  
  
“...It’s ridiculous is what it is…” he grumbles, frowning as he fails to keep his face from flushing.  
  
Ren giggles, and Akechi promptly covers his face with the pillow again, earning another muffled distress noise. He looks away and tries to compose himself, though he can't fully keep the smile from his face… this small encounter has left him with an array of feelings he doesn’t quite know what to do with.  
  
Akechi’s efforts are rudely disrupted by a sudden pressure on his cheek as something soft, warm, and slightly wet presses against it. His eyes widen and his face grows more hot as he realizes that was a kiss. Ren, the devil that he is, just fucking kissed his cheek.  
  
He turns in time to see a blur of dark colors roll away from him as Ren somersaults across the floor and jumps up next to the door as if it was a perfectly normal mode of travel.  
  
Still frazzled by the sudden cheek kiss, Akechi stares at him for a moment as his brain catches up. The shock and embarrassment fade as irritation takes their place. His eyes narrow and brows furrow…  
  
“...You…” he starts to say.  
  
Ren just grins. “Would you like some breakfast honey?” he chirps cheerfully, the grin morphing into an infuriatingly smug expression.  
  
Akechi recognizes that glint in Ren’s eyes and chuckles, a competitive fire now burning within him. He slowly stands and approaches Ren, grabbing the book off the bedside table as he moves. He locks eyes with Ren, meeting the boy’s smug smile with a smirk of his own as the desire to utterly crush him rises. He steps close to Ren, who has opened the door, and shows him a ruthless sort of smile.  
  
“I’ll get you back for that,” he promises, not bothering to hide the borderline sinister tone in his voice.  
  
Ren’s eyes glimmer with excitement. “Bring it on,” he replies.  
  
Akechi holds his gaze as he slowly leans in, stopping just short of Ren’s ear. “Not yet,” he whispers, relishing the visible shudder it causes.  
  
He straightens back up with a cheerful grin and pushes the now beet faced Ren out the door so that they might finally go downstairs for breakfast.  
  
-  
  
Now in the kitchen, Akechi takes a seat at the table and cracks his book open, continuing from where he left off as he listens to Ren rummage around looking for things.  
  
Ren seems to be fretting over what to make as there is not much available, though Akechi is really only half listening. He tells the boy he doesn’t need anything fancy, hoping that will help him just pick something already.  
  
It doesn’t.  
  
“Are you even listening?” Ren asks suddenly.  
  
"Of course. You're needlessly worrying about what to prepare instead of just choosing the most efficient option,” Akechi replies easily. He didn’t need to _fully_ listen to every word to understand what Ren’s been complaining about.  
  
Really, Ren should be happy he was listening at all… Most of the time he tunes others out as they whine because it irritates him.  
  
Ren lets out a small huff in response and says something about the need to go shopping. Akechi tries not to think about the shape his lips probably made with that sound, and the domesticity of something as mundane as grocery shopping together. No… No reason to waste brain power ruminating on things like that… Not when he has something interesting in front of him to read… even though he can’t seem to get past the same sentence he’s now read multiple times…  
  
Fuck.  
  
Eventually his mind settles down and he’s able to focus again on the story as Ren moves about preparing something; a relaxing atmosphere falls over the kitchen. Akechi enjoys this peaceful time; getting lost in the words of a good book while delicious and comforting smells float through the air.  
  
Before long, he’s being presented with a perfect looking egg-in-a-basket (a cooked egg in the center of a piece of toast), accompanied by a mug of freshly steeped black tea. He blinks, impressed by the visual quality of it. If he didn’t know better, he may suspect Ren was a professional chef.  
  
“Interesting choice,” he comments thoughtfully, raising the mug of tea to his lips.  
  
“Do you dislike it?” Ren asks, a hint of worry in his voice.  
  
Akechi takes a sip of the tea and then shakes his head. “It’s not that… I just didn’t expect you to choose to make a European breakfast,” he says, setting the mug down. “You’re full of surprises.” A fond smile slips across his face with that last statement.  
  
“Well, you asked for something efficient,” Ren replies in a steady voice that doesn’t quite match the bashful appearance on his face as he pulls at the fringe over his eyes.  
  
Akechi chuckles. “Yes, I suppose I did… Thanks for the food.”  
  
Ren shoots him a fond smile of his own, and while it makes Akechi’s heart race a little, he doesn’t show it on his face.  
  
After that, the two enjoy their breakfast together, engaging in a casual discussion over different types of tea. That special kind of easy-going, soothing atmosphere that seems to only appear when he spends time with Ren envelops them again, and Akechi mentally stows this encounter away with his other cherished memories (the lap pillow from earlier is also included, though he wouldn’t admit it).  
  
-  
  
Once they’ve finished eating, Ren refuses Akechi’s help to clean up, leaving him to read his book while the other washes their plates. He’s a bit miffed about it, but there really wasn’t much to do so he doesn’t fight it. He’s just getting sucked back into the story when a fresh cup of tea is placed next to him. He stares at it blankly for a second, then lifts his eyes to see Ren settling in the chair across from him with his own cup.  
  
“What’s this for?” Akechi asks flatly. He hadn’t requested a second cup so he’s a bit confused as to why Ren gave him one.  
  
“I just felt like it. I was getting myself one so I thought you might like more, too,” Ren replies with a shrug.  
  
That is the kind of thoughtful thing the sap would do… And Akechi was just thinking he’d like more to drink, though he hadn’t said it yet. The timing really is uncanny. “...Oh. Thank you,” Akechi answers finally.  
  
He’s rewarded with a more rare smile, the kind Ren shows when he gets praise from someone he highly regards; it’s small and a bit shy, and Akechi is suddenly filled with the need to see more of it.  
  
Ignoring the pitter patter in his chest that is becoming far too common, Akechi sips the tea, then turns his attention back to the novel. He tries his best to concentrate on the words and make sense of them, but he can feel smokey eyes studying him closely. The intense focus on him is a bit unnerving, and after a few moments, he glances over through the corner of his eye in the direction of the disruption, and swears Ren jumped slightly; just the tiniest movement, but he’s sure he saw it.  
  
“...You’re not wearing them anymore…” he comments.  
  
Ren looks confused.  
  
“The glasses,” Akechi clarifies. The change has been painfully obvious to him, now that Ren’s features are no longer hidden. While Akechi most certainly likes Ren’s face without them, the glasses did help distract him from just how handsome the boy is, and how pretty his eyes are in particular… Not to mention those long eyelashes...  
  
“Oh. Yeah, I don’t really need them. I mean, I never _needed_ them to see, but they were useful while on probation to give me a more unassuming appearance…” Ren says, resting his chin on his hand.  
  
Akechi wonders whose idea the glasses were to begin with.  
  
“Mm…” Akechi hums, going back to reading.  
  
Ren continues to stare at him.  
  
Akechi tries to pay no mind to it, but he can’t, and is growing more and more anxious as each second ticks by.  
  
“Do you like me better with them on?”  
  
Akechi nearly chokes on his tongue, and his body goes rigid as his mind tries to search for words; “N-No… That’s not to say I dislike them either… I just… happened to notice you didn’t have them on today…” he stammers. Wonderful.  
  
He sneaks a peek at Ren and is greeted by an amused smile accompanied by a light pink color dusting his cheeks.  
  
His stomach flips.  
  
“So, you like me better without them, then?” Ren asks coyly.  
  
The bastard.  
  
Akechi focuses his eyes back on his book and gathers his will power to remain calm in the face of this formidable foe…  
  
  
“...Perhaps I do,” he replies smoothly.  
  
Another glance over and… That did the trick. He smirks as the color in Ren’s cheeks darken and he averts his eyes. However, it’s not long before Akechi feels the piercing gaze return. He’s never going to finish this book at this rate…  
  
“...’Kechi,” Ren says softly.  
  
Akechi stiffens. He’s going back to last name basis? After last night? Did something happen? Or is that supposed to be some kind of nickname? His heart sinks as his mind runs through every possible negative reason for the change. He liked how Ren called his name before, and having it suddenly go back the other way is upsetting…  
  
“Goro.”  
  
Akechi’s train of thought is completely derailed at the sound of his name rolling off Ren’s tongue. It was surprising in the heat of the moment yesterday, but today, under normal circumstances, and when he wasn't expecting it… It hits differently. Very differently.  
  
It’s the sweetest thing he thinks he’s ever heard.  
  
“... I don’t recall giving you permission to call me that,” he says, trying to keep his tone light so Ren knows he’s being playful.  
  
“Hm? Well you seemed displeased with my very clever nickname, so I thought I’d try using your first again, _Goro_ ,” Ren replies, emphasizing the name as it passes his lips.  
  
Akechi trembles. Clearly, this is a weakness. And even more clearly, the ever observant and impossibly insightful Ren has figured that out already, and is using it as an attempt to destroy him.  
  
He closes the book, setting it on the table as he turns to face Ren. He rests his chin on his hand as he tilts his head, and meets pewter eyes with a pointed gaze of his own.  
  
“Mm… Is that disapproval, or are you trying to hide your happiness?” Ren teases.  
  
Shit. When did he get this good at figuring him out?  
  
...Better use a different strategy then.  
  
Akechi lowers his eyes, looking off to the side. “...Of course I’m happy,” he says shyly, letting the blush he’d been holding back creep across his face and over the tips of his ears.  
  
From his peripheral, he notices Ren falter and turn away; face red and hand covering his mouth.  
  
Victory.  
  
Then, he stands. The sudden movement catches Akechi off guard.  
  
“Let’s go for a walk,” Ren says. More of a statement than a question or suggestion.  
  
“Oh? ...Alright… I wouldn’t mind some fresh air,” Akechi automatically replies.  
  
Ren shows him a soft smile, and he clears his throat as he awkwardly looks away. So much for that previous victory. He rises from the table as well, and the two leave the kitchen to go back to Ren’s room.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
You leave the kitchen with Akechi trailing just behind you. You feel a buzz of excitement; some of it leftover from that sly move he pulled, though mostly it’s from anticipation of your plan to bring him to your favorite spot. As you’re already kind of wound up, it’s no surprise that the next thing that happens causes you to jump out of your skin…  
  
There is a needlessly LOUD, rapid knock on the door that startles you quite severely. Not expecting such a thing, you start to worry about what _or who_ is at the door… at least until you remember that you are awaiting packages containing your belongings. You start to relax again.  
  
“That’s probably my boxes that were sent over yesterday…” you say, thinking out loud. Saying it makes you feel a bit better, like it makes the idea more true.  
  
Yes… It’s just the packages you sent… not reporters, harassers, or police… or _them…_  
  
You go to answer the door, the last bit of anxiety leaving you as you open it to find a friendly looking delivery person handing you a device to sign. You smile and thank the person as you hand the device back to them, then bring your boxes inside. You let out a sigh of relief and chide yourself for thinking it would be any of those other ridiculous things… especially them. They wouldn’t knock… they would just come in. They have the right keys, afterall.  
  
You push those thoughts from your mind as you visually inspect the boxes. They look good; no damage or anything. “...Might as well bring these up now,” you say aloud as you squat down and lift the larger of the two boxes. It feels a little heavier than you remember. As you walk past Akechi, you motion towards the other box, asking him to bring it along as the two of you go upstairs. He thankfully obliges without complaint.  
  
You ascend the stairs and head into your bedroom, silently thankful that the door was left open, allowing easy access. You quickly move across the room and set your box near the closet, and Akechi follows suit. After he sets the smaller box down, he flops onto your bed with a huff, laying on his back. You raise an eyebrow.  
  
“You okay?” you ask him. That was rather odd of him to do… is he tired just from carrying that package? You don’t think you packed it too heavily…  
  
“Mm…”  
  
A noncommittal noise as response. You frown. “You seem bothered by something,” you continue. You don’t usually press him, but this behavior is worrisome. You’d like to know if something significant is going on with him so you can help… or at least keep him from overexerting himself.  
  
“It’s nothing important, so don’t worry,” Akechi replies. He sounds… downtrodden. Not a good way to keep you from worrying.  
  
You take a moment to consider what to do with him, and decide on a bold(?) approach. Well, maybe not _too_ bold, but this is Goro Akechi we’re talking about, so anything outside of shutting up and leaving him alone could be considered bold in some form.  
  
You sit down on the bed next to him. There’s a subtle change in his body language - he seems to have stiffened a bit, like he’s (more)tense. There’s one thing you know for sure that will make him relax, as you so miraculously (and accidentally) discovered yesterday. Slowly, tentatively, you reach across to him and brush a few strands of his hair out of his face, and try not to giggle when his expression stiffens even more.  
  
You continue the gentle movement - running your fingers through the soft, delicate strands. You can both see and feel him start to relax, and he turns toward you, now laying on his side. He seems to have gotten a bit closer, too. He closes his eyes, and you smile as you watch him while continuing to thread your fingers through the silk tresses; it brings you so much joy to be able to soothe him like this.  
  
“...You know…” you start slowly, keeping your voice soft, “...I won’t force you to talk about things… but if you ever feel like it, I’ll listen… No matter what it’s about…”  
  
You’re fairly sure he’s already aware of this, as he’s opened up to you some in the past, but it couldn’t hurt to give him a gentle reminder… especially since he seems like he’s holding a lot back…  
  
“Mm…” the soft sound is similar to the earlier noise of dismissal, but the tone is different, signaling acknowledgement and agreement.  
  
You remain by his side, running your hand through his hair for a few more minutes. You want to stay like this, in this intimate little bubble of comfort… But there are other things that you need to do today that are just as important. You reluctantly pull your hand away, letting out a small sigh as you get up from the bed and move across to the closet.  
  
“I can get you something to wear… Unless you’d like to pick the clothes yourself,” you say, looking through what’s in your closet. You see Akechi sit up in your peripheral.  
  
“Whatever you can spare is fine,” he responds.  
  
You smirk, and glance back at him. “Oh? You’re really going to let me dress you?” you tease.  
  
He matches your expression as his eyes flicker with amusement, “I’m sure you’d be able to come up with something satisfactory.”  
  
A challenge.  
  
“Mm. I’ll do my best, though I’m not certain the clothes of a peasant would be fitting for a highly esteemed individual such as yourself,” you poke back.  
  
He laughs, and you’re filled with a glowing heat burning through your heart.  
  
That was real. Genuine.  
  
You’re beside yourself with glee, and can’t hide the intense fondness you’re feeling as you look at him.  
  
Once the moment passes you turn back to your closet, quickly picking out something you know he’ll like. You toss them at him. “See how these do.”  
  
You watch as he examines the clothes with interest, and smile to yourself as he agrees that they are acceptable. In Akechi code that means he likes them, as you expected. Pleased with that outcome, you grab a sweater and some jeans for yourself, then inform him you’ll be changing in the bathroom as you exit.  
  
The pitter patter of your heart won’t calm down despite the slow deep breaths you’ve been taking since entering the bathroom a couple minutes ago… That laugh… and the thought of how he’d look in your clothes… Your face heats and you raise a hand to your chest, clutching at your heart, though your fingers only find the fabric of your shirt.  
  
You think you might love him _too_ much…  
  
You slowly start to calm down a little as you get dressed and brush your teeth, then get worked up once more as you see what is now Akechi’s toothbrush next to yours again, triggering more thoughts of a simple domestic life with the detective. You splash some cold water on your face to calm yourself, then take a look at yourself in the mirror. Your pale complexion still looks a bit pink, but not bad. You still have traces of dark circles under your eyes, but they’re not nearly as dark as they used to be. You look next at your eyes, feeling a bit off without the glasses covering them… They are more striking; a deep gunmetal grey that reflects your defiance.... You briefly wonder if Akechi likes your face better without the glasses because of your eyes. The thought makes your heart swoop and you turn red... You really need to stop doing this to yourself. You take a look at your hair next, examining the mess of curls as you try to decide if you should bother messing with them. You run your fingers through them a bit, trying to move them around in a more stylish manner, but ultimately they look the same no matter what you do, so you give up. You never really styled your hair before anyway so there’s no point in starting now. You decide that you’re ready, and head back to your room.  
  
You hesitate for a moment outside your bedroom door, afraid to just walk in. You wouldn’t want to make Akechi upset or uncomfortable by catching him unaware again, so you knock. He answers immediately, telling you to come in. You poke your head in the door first before fully entering the room, and Akechi stands up from your bed as you come in.  
  
The sight of him causes your breath to catch in your throat. He looks good… _really_ good in that sleek black turtleneck and jeans. Your heart performs acrobatics as you stare at him, watching in awe as he frees the tucked in hair from the neck of the shirt, lightly fluffing it with his fingers. You think a noise may have escaped you, but you’re not sure… at least until Akechi meets your gaze with a quizzical look.  
  
“Uh… Ahem… You like nice,” you manage to say. You hate how completely unsmooth that came out, and that your face is hot again… though Akechi flushes as well, before crossing his arms and looking away, which makes you feel better.  
  
You clear your throat and move to the packages the two of you left by your closet, feeling a little anxious as you can sense his eyes on you… though you like the attention. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to at least get the rest of the clothes put away before we go out…” you say as you start digging into the larger of the two boxes, looking through the clothes within.  
  
“Mm… that’s fine with me… I’ll be right back,” Akechi answers.  
  
You hum in confirmation, then feel his gaze leave you as you hear soft footsteps move towards the door, getting quieter as he leaves the room.  
  
You didn't realize you were holding your breath until you let it out after he’s gone. You weren’t prepared for how he’d look in your clothes… the dark colors and high collar suit him quite well… maybe you should start buying him turtlenecks… or persuade him into getting more himself… You grin as you daydream about shopping with him while putting your belongings away. You wonder if he’d choose things based on what he actually likes to wear, or if he’d still use a psychological approach to choosing outfits as he’d explained to you before. You’re in the middle of trying to imagine what kinds of clothes he would choose for himself when you hear a familiar stride getting closer.  
  
You look over your shoulder to see Akechi entering the room, and smile warmly at him. He looks at you blankly for a couple of seconds before frowning and crossing his arms. You can’t help but chuckle at that, finding it endearing, which seems to bother him more.  
  
“Are you about done?” he asks impatiently. You want to kiss that ornery mouth.  
  
Instead, you hum in response, rising slowly from your place in front of the now empty cardboard. You close the closet doors and turn to face him. “I am…” you respond, as you awkwardly put your hands in your pockets. “Sorry for the wait.”  
  
“It’s not a problem…” Akechi replies. He looks a bit nervous as he shifts his weight.  
  
You start to move, heading towards him as you watch his expression. You sense tension, and can see a trace of panic in his gaze, just under the surface. You smirk at him, and change direction slightly, now heading for the bedside table instead of straight at him. You can feel the irritation radiating off him as you pick up your phone and put it in your pocket, just barely managing to hold in your laughter.  
  
You compose yourself, and look at him again. He seems more neutral now. “You ready?”  
  
He nods in response and you follow him out of the room and down the stairs.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Akechi quietly follows Ren out of the kitchen, wondering what the purpose of the walk could be… Is it just exercise? Is there somewhere they need to go…? Maybe Ren wants to show him something… Akechi contemplates what that could be in a small town like this. As they enter the living room, there is a loud, swift knock on the door. The sound startles Ren, who jumps, which startles Akechi, who was right behind and almost ran into him as the boy stopped. Akechi’s about to complain when he sees the concerned look on Ren’s face, though it passes after a moment.  
  
“That’s probably my boxes that were sent over yesterday,” he says.  
  
Akechi relaxes as well. Ren goes to answer the door, and signs something before bringing in two boxes. One large one that Akechi has seen before in the attic, and another, smaller one. He wonders what it may contain… Most likely all the trinkets and things Ren acquired over his year in the city, considering how sentimental he is.  
  
“...Might as well bring these up now…” Ren mumbles, lifting the larger of the two packages. “Can you get the other one?” he asks, nodding his head in the direction of the smaller box as he passes by.  
  
“Ah, sure…”  
  
While it’s not too heavy, there is a bit more weight to it than Akechi anticipated. He frowns, lamenting the significant loss of muscle mass he’s suffered after what happened… He hates feeling so weak. He sighs, and follows Ren up the stairs to his bedroom.  
  
Once in the room, Akechi sets the smaller box down by the closet, near where Ren left the larger one. His arms are feeling a bit sore even though he wasn’t carrying it for long, which irritates him. He moves the short distance to Ren’s bed and lays down on his back with a huff.  
  
“You okay?”  
  
Shit… Of course Ren would ask that… But Akechi really doesn’t feel like explaining his current frustration, as it would require a back story, and that back story is sure to be upsetting to Ren… as well as unpleasant for Akechi.  
  
“Mm…” he replies, noncommittal.  
  
“You seem bothered by something,” Ren presses.  
  
“It’s nothing important, so don’t worry,” Akechi tells him.  
  
Then the mattress sinks as Ren sits next to him. Having him be so close like this, in private, and on a bed makes Akechi feel like his skin is buzzing. He’s so very tempted to turn over towards Ren; to curl around him and snuggle into his warmth -- but he doesn’t. He thinks about turning away from him instead, but doesn’t do that either. He remains on his back, and very very still; not even daring to move his eyes. Part of him hates how nervous he feels, but he can’t help it. He’s not used to this… whatever this is. It’s a miracle he’s even here right now… Part of him still isn’t sure why he even came here to begin with …  
  
Akechi’s heart is in his mouth again as Ren casually reaches over and brushes some hair out of his face, then continues the movement as he starts running his fingers through his hair.  
  
Akechi’s tension melts away instantly.  
  
_Oh… Right… This is why…_ he thinks to himself, now turning over towards Ren as he’s drawn to the gentle comfort. _When I really thought about what I should do, what I wanted… of course he was the only choice..._  
  
Akechi closes his eyes as he savors the gentle sensations and a feeling of contentment settles in him.  
  
“...You know…” Ren says softly, “...I won’t force you to talk about things… but if you ever feel like it, I’ll listen… No matter what it’s about…”  
  
He knows that. He’s always known that… But somehow, hearing it now makes him feel more at ease.  
  
“...Mm…” he responds, an honest acknowledgement this time.  
  
Ren continues carefully threading his fingers through the strands of Akechi’s hair for another couple moments, seemingly hesitant to let them be… Or perhaps that’s just wishful thinking. He does eventually stop, though, and Akechi thinks he hears a small sigh come from the boy as he stands.  
  
“I can get you something to wear… Unless you’d like to pick the clothes yourself,” Ren says, his voice now sounding a bit further off.  
  
Akechi sits up to find him by the closet.  
  
“Whatever you can spare will be fine, I’m sure,” he replies.  
  
Ren looks back at him with a teasing smile. “Oh? You’re really going to let me dress you?”  
  
The corners of Akechi’s mouth twist up into a smirk. “I’m sure you’d be able to come up with something satisfactory,” he challenges.  
  
“Mm. I’ll do my best, though I’m not certain the clothes of a peasant would be fitting for a highly esteemed individual such as yourself,” Ren pokes back.  
  
Akechi laughs at that, and Ren shows him a warm smile before turning back to the closet to pick out clothes. It only takes a moment before he tosses items at Akechi.  
  
“See how those do,” he says, sounding confident.  
  
Akechi examines the articles that were thrown at him. There’s a black long sleeved turtleneck of soft material and a pair of well worn dark jeans. Ren tosses a pair of black socks next, which Akechi catches.  
  
_Hm… Good choices…_  
  
“These are acceptable,” Akechi replies.  
  
“Good. I’ll go change in the bathroom so take your time…”  
  
And with that, Ren leaves the room with his own pile of clothes, closing the door behind him.  
  
Akechi sighs, looking back at the selections Ren gave him. They look like they will fit well enough, and seem comfortable, but there’s something about them that makes Akechi feel… almost bashful… Is it because they are Ren’s clothes? Or is it because these selections are what Akechi would have picked himself? He strokes one sleeve of the shirt with his thumb as he ponders this… Though only for a moment. He can’t let himself get too distracted and lost in thought like before. So he gets up, and changes.  
  
Not knowing what to do with the borrowed pajamas, he leaves them folded on the bed. The jeans fit without being too loose or too short, thankfully, and the turtleneck feels even softer against his skin now than it did in his hands… It’s really quite cozy. It’s a little loose on him, but not enough to be considered baggy, which is good. Pleased with the outfit, he sits back on the bed to put on the socks he was given as well. There’s a knock on the bedroom door as he pulls on the second sock.  
  
“You can come in,” Akechi says.  
  
Ren pokes his head in the door before opening it all the way and entering. Akechi stands as Ren comes in, pulling the tucked away hair out from under the turtleneck, and fluffing it a bit as he does so.  
  
“Oh…” Ren murmurs.  
  
Akechi raises his eyes to meet Ren’s, giving him a questioning look.  
  
“Uh… Ahem… You look nice…” Ren says, stumbling over the words. He’s blushing again.  
  
_What the hell…_ Akechi thinks to himself, heat rising in his own face. He looks away and awkwardly crosses his arms.  
  
Ren clears his throat, and moves towards the boxes sitting near the closet. Akechi’s eyes follow him, noticing that he also looks nice in his grey knit sweater and black jeans.  
  
“If you don’t mind, I’d like to at least get the rest of the clothes put away before we go out…” Ren says, already opening the large box.  
  
“Mm… that’s fine with me…” Akechi replies, his eyes wandering away from Ren’s form and towards the door. “...I’ll be right back.”  
  
Ren makes a nondescript sound in confirmation, and Akechi leaves the room, walking across the hall to the bathroom.  
  
He washes his hands and brushes his teeth, then splashes water on his face as there’s no cleanser for it lying around. He grabs a fresh hand towel from its cubby and pats dry, frowning as he looks at himself in the mirror. His hair is a bit messy, mostly from sleep, though he imagines some of it is Ren’s handiwork. He blushes slightly at that thought, bringing some color to his complexion that is somewhat paler now than it used to be. That’s not the only change, though. He’s visibly thinner now; any roundness that had been in his face is gone, leaving only harsh lines and sharp angles. He no longer has dark bags under his eyes, but that doesn’t make much difference. He is a bit relieved to find that no freckles have darkened or otherwise appeared since he last checked, though he has been avoiding the sun. It’s a shame the ones on his hands don’t go away…  
  
Akechi sets down the towel and starts looking around for a comb. As he’s looking, he notices Ren’s glasses sitting on the counter, neatly folded and placed in the corner. He picks them up, examining them closely as he turns them over in his hands. He smiles to himself, amused at the thought of these making Ren look ‘unassuming’. He supposes that kind of works, though he knows the boy well enough that that trick doesn’t work on him. He puts them back and continues the search for a comb. After a moment of searching, he finds one, and proceeds to fix his hair, working through the few tangles as he neatens the mess.  
  
Having finished freshening up, he returns to Ren’s room, finding the boy putting away what looks to be the last of his things in the closet. Ren glances over his shoulder as Akechi enters, and smiles at him. Akechi wonders if he’ll always be greeted in this manner from now on… Then pushes that thought down before it starts to affect him too much… He crosses his arms and frowns, but Ren just chuckles. Damn him.  
  
“Are you about done?” Akechi asks.  
  
“Mm…” Ren hums, standing slowly. He closes the closet doors and turns towards Akechi, shoving his hands in his pockets in the process. “I am… Sorry for the wait.”  
  
“It’s not a problem…” Akechi replies, shifting his weight.  
  
Why is this so awkward? His heart beat picks up as Ren starts moving towards him, and his mind starts racing along with it. _What’s he doing?_  
  
Ren gives him a little smirk as he veers to the side a bit, stopping by the bedside table to pick up his phone. It’s as if he knows what he’s doing.  
  
_That bastard…_  
  
Akechi is still relieved, though, but also a bit disappointed. How pathetic.  
  
“You ready?” Ren asks, still standing by the bedside table.  
  
Akechi nods, and starts to head downstairs with Ren trailing behind him.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
You catch up to Akechi as the two of you enter the living room. You notice Morgana has returned, and is dozing in the recliner. The cat yawns and stretches as you move through the room.  
  
“We’re going out. You want to come?” The offer is mostly genuine, though you suspect Mona is too tired to tag along for this, assuming he just came in and probably wants to rest. He responds accordingly, much to your relief. You love him and usually enjoy bringing him with you places, but it’s better he stay behind for today…  
  
“Alright, suit yourself,” you reply.  
  
You leave the cat to his devices, moving towards the door with a silent Akechi behind you. As you get to the entrance, the two of you slide on your shoes, and then you open the coat closet.  
  
“Is it that cold?” Akechi questions suddenly.  
  
Your heart skips at the sound of his voice so close to you. You hadn’t noticed him move beside you, and you resist the urge to lean on him as the two of you peer into the closet. “It’s fairly chilly, yeah… It tends to stay colder here longer than in the city,” you tell him as you grab your long grey coat. He looks at it strangely as you hold it out to him.  
  
“I don’t need one that heavy,” he says finally, then reaches past you. It takes a considerable amount of willpower not to blush (or wrap your arms around him) as he leans close to you, almost brushing up against you as he grabs the blazer hanging in the back.  
  
“You like my blazer better?” you tease as he moves away again.  
  
“It’s more appropriate, I think,” he replies calmly, not falling for the bait this time.  
  
“Alright,” you say with a grin as you turn back towards the closet to hang up your grey coat. You can’t help but feel a bit giddy that he chose your black blazer to wear… It’s your favorite jacket, and you’re sure it will look good on him. You take a moment to call back towards the living room, letting Mona know that you’re leaving now. He responds as you expected, with a polite ‘take care’ followed by a request for fish.  
  
You look back at Akechi as you hear him sigh.  
  
“How do you put up with such a demanding creature…”  
  
You can’t help but laugh at that as you open the door. “He has good qualities, too,” you say.  
  
Akechi falls quiet again as the two of you exit the house and travel down the walkway and through the front gate. The wind picks up as you reach the sidewalk, making you shiver slightly as it cuts through you.  
  
“Hmph. If you were going to be cold you should have gotten yourself a jacket instead of fussing over me,” Akechi says, a blunt edge to his voice.  
  
“The one I would have chosen was already taken,” you reply, glancing at him from under your eyelashes. You see him flinch.  
  
“Tch. This one is too slim… It wouldn’t fit over your bulky sweater…” he grumbles, turning away from you. It’s cute.  
  
You use this opportunity to get close to him, taking his hand as you step by his side. He seems a bit surprised, but doesn’t complain or move away. You’re pleased with that, and your elation only grows with his next movements; he smoothly interlaces your fingers and pulls you closer as he shoves your linked hands into the pocket of the blazer. You feel a bit bashful…  
  
“Is there somewhere in particular you wanted to go?” he asks, voice soft and close as your shoulders brush together.  
  
Your brain malfunctions for a moment at him being forward, but eventually you’re able to get out a response. “There is somewhere, yeah.”  
  
“That’s quite descriptive,” he chuckles.  
  
Your heart spins. “You know me, I’m a chatterbox.”  
  
“You are, given the right topic.”  
  
“Mm, yeah… If I have to prove you wrong on something.”  
  
He scoffs at that. “As if you ever have!”  
  
You smile at him as a warm fondness flows through you. He glances at you, then clears his throat as he quickly looks away again. Your heart beats faster, hoping that had an effect on his.  
  
“So… where are we going…” he asks mildly.  
  
“You’ll see.’  
  
-  
  
Excitement and anticipation build up in you as you lead Akechi through the narrow streets. Your path may seem winding and nonsensical, but it’s calculated; keeping to lesser populated areas (not that there is much population to start with) in an effort to keep gossip to a minimum. This way is also a bit longer than if you were to follow the main road, but that gives you more time to enjoy the feel of his hand in yours, and the shared warmth between you as you walk so close together… Plus this way is more scenic.  
  
Eventually the surroundings open up as you close in on your destination.  
  
You watch Akechi’s expression as you step into the open area, savoring his reaction to the sudden wide open space and pretty scenery.  
  
“Nice, huh?” you say.  
  
He just nods, wide eyes moving around, still absorbing everything. It’s a look you’ve never seen before on him, and you take great joy and pride that you were able to introduce him to something that caused it.  
  
The two of you continue on as you lead him towards the river bank and down a set of stairs to the lower bank. You keep your eyes on him as the two of you walk along the riverside, watching him in adoration as he observes everything in quiet awe. Soon you come to the place you’d been planning to visit.  
  
It’s a single, lonely bench, just big enough for the two of you to sit side by side. It’s hidden away, view of it from above blocked by the steep rising upper bank as it slopes and curves, creating a green shield of privacy, and it is always empty as most don’t know of its existence, given that no one ever walks this close to the water. These things along with the beautiful view of the river and the rolling hills across it make this the perfect spot to be alone.  
  
“C’mere… let’s sit,” you say, pulling on his hand. He allows you to lead him to the bench, and you sit down together, leaving no room between you. You watch his face as he continues to take in the view, admiring it as you etch it into your memory. He looks so beautiful while discovering something… After a moment, you turn your gaze to the water as well.  
  
“This is my favorite spot here. I used to come here a lot, when I needed somewhere to relax and think… or just to get away…” you explain, keeping your voice soft. Not so pleasant memories start to surface as you gaze out at the river - there had been so many times you came here to just escape after you first found this sanctuary as a child. You don’t notice Akechi’s staring at you until he says something.  
  
“Ren…”  
  
That tone is… concern. Your heart thumps, and you turn your attention to him, meeting a worried look in his crimson tinted eyes. They look even brighter out in the sun. All the unpleasant things that were running rampant in your mind start to fade as you look into his eyes, and soon he’s the only thing you’re focused on.  
  
“...What do you think of this place?” you ask.  
  
“...You mean the town or ...here?” Akechi responds, matching his tone of voice to the softness of yours. It gives you goosebumps.  
  
“Either… both…”  
  
Is he moving closer? You feel like the space between you is gradually getting smaller…  
  
“Mm… I admit the town is smaller than I anticipated… but it’s charming… at least from the outside. I’ve yet to see what the people are like…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
You can’t help but smile at that. He already knows, or at least expects, the people to be less than nice. “You know better than to judge a book by its cover.”  
  
“Yes… not all things are as they seem, and I imagine with your… unfortunate reputation… their treatment of you is probably less than favorable…” Akechi answers. He gently squeezes your hand with the statement, cluing you in to his distaste for the situation.  
  
You’re touched; you’re not used to people getting upset on your behalf, and the fact that it’s Akechi doing it makes your heart sing. You gently squeeze his hand back, and start caressing it with your thumb.  
  
“It’s sweet of you to get upset on my behalf, but I’m used to dealing with people like them,” you say. You feel more drawn to him with each exchange of words.  
  
“Who said I’m upset on your behalf?” Akechi replies, a bit impish. Your heartbeat picks up. Is he _teasing_ you?  
  
“Your hand gave you away,” you reply truthfully.  
  
“...Is that so…”  
  
He’s definitely closer. You are, too. The both of you must have unconsciously been slowly leaning in this whole time. Electricity crackles under your skin as your heart races with anticipation.  
  
“Mm… and you didn’t answer the other part, about what you think of this spot…” you continue. You’re surprised at how breathy you sound… you didn’t know your voice could do that...  
  
“...It’s breathtaking…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
Time slows for a moment. You’ve both leaned in so far that your lips are almost touching, though there’s still some hesitation in the air. You wait, not wanting to force him. His breath is shaky, and for a second you worry that he’ll back off… but then  
  
Time stops as Akechi ever so gently presses his lips against yours...  
Everything is different, feels different; you think your cells are vibrating…  
It’s so unexpectedly tender you want to melt…  
  
And then he starts to move away. You try to follow, to chase it, but he gets just out of your reach, and leans his forehead against yours. You crack your eyes open slightly and catch a smile on his face. Your chest expands.  
  
“...Why do you have to do that…” he whispers.  
  
Your heart tries to murder you with its erratic rythm. “...Can’t help it…” you respond, raising your free hand to caress his cheek.  
  
His skin is so soft, almost silky. And warm, despite the cold air around you. Your heart thumps, and you pull him into another kiss - slow and sweet. He reciprocates immediately, and you feel like your soul might leave your body as he keeps with the gentle pace, your lips carefully and lovingly parting, meeting, caressing, sliding together over and over…  
  
And then, new sparks, on your arm this time as Akechi lightly trails his free hand up it, pausing briefly on your shoulder. Your skin burns under his touch, and he keeps moving, eventually coming to rest his hand above your nape, cupping the back of your head as he tangles his fingers in your curls.  
  
Some moments later, you break apart for air, gazing intensely into each other's eyes as you do so. The hardness that’s normally at least somewhat existent in Akechi’s gaze is gone, leaving only soft pools of burgundy that seem to sparkle in the morning sunlight. You knew he was gorgeous, but this is something else… and you can see something more in the depths of that gaze… something loving. You swallow thickly as your heart climbs its way into your throat, and you wish this moment could last forever. Akechi, however, has a more active approach…  
  
He pulls you back in eagerly, much to your delight, and the two of you spend a while indulging in the soft intimacy of kisses, relishing in the company of one another as you enjoy your private bubble in this safe haven, expressing unsaid feelings through shared breaths and the gentle caressing of lips.  
  
-  
  
This must be what heaven feels like…  
You’ve dreamed about this before… so many times… but none of them compare to the real thing, the real Akechi.  
Being held by him… being _kissed_ by him…  
If your brain wasn’t mush already it certainly is now.  
  
“...Akechi…” you whisper, the name slipping past your lips and creeping across his neck as the two of you hug. He makes a noise that… that almost sounds like a whine…?  
  
“Nnh… call me Goro…” he mumbles into your shoulder. Your heart glows; it’s a simple request, but one that feels quite significant… you wonder if anyone else calls him by his given name…  
  
“...Really?” you ask, unable to hide the emotion in your voice.  
  
“...You already have. Don’t go back on it now…”  
  
You hug him tighter as joy floods through you. You feel like he’s finally opening up to you more. “Mm! Okay… Goro…” Saying it feels natural, like it’s something you’ve done all along, for years, despite the fact you’ve only known each other for less than one…  
  
A low rumble in your stomach reminds you of what time it must be by now. You pull back from the hug, without straying too far. Akechi’s already staring at you as you look at him - a sense of adoration in his gaze. You gently place your hands on either side of his face and smile, letting your happiness shine through. Akechi leans into your touch, placing a hand over yours as he watches you with a look of fondness in his eyes.  
  
“Hi…” you whisper, feeling a bit bashful.  
  
“...Hi,” he answers, matching your tone. It’s cute.  
  
You tuck some hair behind his ear. “...Want to get some lunch? There’s a cafe around here that has decent food.”  
  
Something shifts in his gaze, and it makes your heart stutter (this really can’t be healthy). You feel warm as he caresses your cheek, and exhilarated as he pulls your face towards his and kisses you again. You swoon, melting immediately from the affection.  
  
He leaves you breathless, feeling lightheaded and elated, and then laughs at you when he sees your face after moving away.  
  
“Pfft… what kind of expression is that?” he asks, not at all containing his amusement.  
  
You have no clue what your face looks like right now, but you’re glad for it considering it’s allowed you to see this side of him. You giggle, your elated state not allowing for a normal laugh, and grin at him. It… has an effect.  
  
Akechi promptly puts his hand over your face like he’s trying to hide it. It’s not only highly amusing, but ridiculously endearing as well.  
  
“Cut it out already… Didn’t you say something about lunch? Let’s do that…” he all but stammers.  
  
You can still see him through the fingers he haphazardly cast over your eyes, and you can definitely see how flushed he’s getting… It’s funny considering that what he’s getting flustered over is just your reaction to what _he_ did to _you_ …  
  
Still, seeing him like this makes you want to take advantage…  
  
You lift your own hand, and pull his down away from your eyes. Now freed, you make eye contact with him, holding his gaze as you slowly start laying kisses across his palm and along each finger while he watches, entranced. You briefly consider going further, up his wrist and arm, but decide that might be too much at this point, so you lower the hand and move in to kiss his cheek instead.  
  
“Mm… Lunch sounds good,” you purr, amused at how enthralled he is with you right now.  
  
He just nods in response.  
  
You lift his hand to your lips again, lightly kissing his knuckles this time. “It would be nice to stay like this all day, though…” you say with a sigh, glancing at him as your heart yearns for more soft contact.  
  
You see a flicker in his gaze, and his focus softens; a tell that he’s thinking about something intently. You try not to get your hopes up, but the timing makes you wonder what’s going through his mind right now…  
  
“Goro… What are you thinking about?” you ask, unable to resist, and still hopeful that it’s what you want it to be.  
  
Akechi suddenly _convulses_ and starts coughing.  
  
It startles you, but also makes you wonder if you were correct in what he may have been thinking about… nonetheless, you’re more concerned about him.  
  
“Whoa, you okay?!” you exclaim, then start rubbing his back. You have no idea if that actually helps with coughing, but it was an instinctual move that you hope is at least a little soothing…  
  
Akechi nods sharply, clearing his throat. “...Just a tickle…” he replies, though it comes out sounding pretty rough. You wonder if he’s actually okay yet… you keep rubbing his back just in case. He takes another moment to compose himself, then turns to you.  
  
“I’m alright.”  
  
It was just a small coughing fit, but you’re still quite relieved to see him fine again, though your hand remains on his back… You’re a bit reluctant to move it just yet…  
  
“That’s good… You want to go eat then?” you ask.  
  
“Yeah… that sounds good,” he replies. You look at each other for a moment as you leave your hand on his back… You don’t want to let go of him, but it would be weird to keep sitting here like this, so you get up.  
  
Akechi follows, and grabs your hand before you can awkwardly hide it in your pants pocket. You glance back at him, not having expected the sudden gesture.  
  
“...Lend me this… Mine are cold,” Akechi says simply, nervously glancing to the side as he laces your fingers together and safely stows your hands in the pocket of that blazer. You swoon again, moved by how _cute_ that was, and smile at him.  
  
“Sure, but why do you make that sound like it’s my fault?” you ask as the two of you start walking.  
  
“Because it is.”  
  
“How is it my fault that you don’t have your gloves?”  
  
“You’re the one that inspired me to lose one in a duel challenge…”  
  
“Ooo, I inspired you?”  
  
“I meant infuriated.”  
  
“Mm. Of course,” you reply, an amused chuckle following the line as you lean closer to him. You enjoy this kind of light banter; it’s fun and gives you the impression that he’s enjoying himself too. It feels really good being together like this… You’re still buzzing from the kisses, and your hand in his along with being close to him is soothing…  
  
You wonder if he might be feeling the same.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Akechi enters the living room with Ren now by his side. The cat beast wakes, seemingly just from their coming into the room, and yawns as it stretches in the recliner.  
  
“We’re going out,” Ren tells the cat, “You want to come?”  
  
_Sheesh he really doesn’t go anywhere without that thing…_ Akechi thinks.  
  
“No, you go ahead. I’m tired,” Morgana responds.  
  
_Tch, he was probably up all night ‘standing guard’ over Ren…_  
  
“Alright, suit yourself,” Ren replies, now moving towards the door.  
  
Akechi silently follows. They put on their shoes, and Ren opens the coat closet.  
  
“Is it that cold?” Akechi blurts.  
  
“It’s fairly chilly, yeah… It tends to stay colder here longer than in the city,” Ren says as he pulls out a coat and offers it to Akechi.  
  
Akechi recognizes the long grey coat as the one Ren wore in January, and now he’s wondering if the clothes he has on are the rest of that ensemble… Did Ren do that on purpose?  
  
“I don’t need one that heavy,” Akechi replies, ignoring the grey coat being handed to him as he reaches past Ren and grabs a lighter weight black blazer.  
  
“You like my blazer better?” Ren teases.  
  
“It’s more appropriate, I think,” Akechi replies calmly.  
  
“All right.” Ren hangs the grey coat back up, failing to hide his grin as he turns away. He then closes the closet door, and turns back towards the living room. “We’re going!”  
  
“Take care! OH and bring me back fish!!” the cat calls back.  
  
Akechi sighs and shakes his head. “How do you put up with such a demanding creature,” he says without thinking.  
  
Ren laughs as he opens the door. “He has good qualities, too,” he says, though doesn’t explain what those good qualities are.  
  
Akechi doesn’t mind that there was no explanation… He’s busy fighting with the feeling that seeing Ren laugh is giving him. He quietly follows Ren out the door and down the front walkway, then through the gate. The cold chill of wind breaks him out of his internal dispute, and he notices Ren shiver slightly.  
  
“Hmph. If you were going to be cold you should have gotten yourself a jacket instead of fussing over me,” Akechi says.  
  
“The one I would have chosen was already taken,” Ren responds, shooting him a glance from under his eyelashes.  
  
Akechi’s heart skips.  
  
_Damnit…_  
  
“Tch. This one is too slim… It wouldn’t fit over your bulky sweater,” he grumbles, looking away.  
  
That was a mistake(?), because as he’s not looking, Ren takes the opportunity to move close to him and take his hand. He’s so surprised by this that he doesn’t react, and Ren seems to take that as acceptance. Not wanting to back down (he HATES losing), Akechi adjusts, interlacing their fingers as he puts their hands in the pocket of his borrowed blazer. This motion leads Ren even closer, their arms now linked and shoulders touching. Akechi takes note that the other looks a bit pink; he guesses it’s not just from the cold air.  
  
“Is there somewhere in particular you wanted to go?” he asks.  
  
Ren seems a little startled by the sudden question, which Akechi finds amusing(cute). “There is somewhere, yeah,” he manages to answer.  
  
Akechi chuckles. “That’s quite descriptive.”  
  
A beguiled smile creeps across Ren’s face. “You know me, I’m a chatterbox.”  
  
“You are given the right topic,” Akechi retorts.  
  
“Mm, yeah… if I have to prove you wrong on something.”  
  
Akechi scoffs at that. “Hah! As if you ever have.” He glances over to his left to find Ren looking at him with a fond expression. He clears his throat and tries to ignore whatever the hell his heart is doing now. “So… Where are we going…”  
  
“You’ll see.”  
  
-  
  
Ren proceeds to lead them through the quiet streets, taking what seems like an unnecessarily long and winding path of smaller side streets and an alleyway or two. Akechi doesn’t mind it too much, though. The fresh air is nice, and their surroundings scenic… Not to mention being so close to Ren is helping him stay warm… and his hand feels nice…  
  
Soon, the area opens up and Akechi’s eyes widen at the new landscape before him. A wide walking path stretches along a sizable riverbank, with bright, green grass sloping down towards another area with what looks like a smaller walkway closer to the water.  
  
“Nice, huh?” Ren says from beside him.  
  
Akechi nods, still taking it all in.  
  
Ren leads him forward, and they walk down a set of concrete stairs to the lower bank. They then start walking down the small sidewalk, following along the river for a couple minutes until they come to a spot that’s hidden from the upper bank and main road. There’s a bench, and a beautiful view of the water.  
  
“C’mere… let’s sit,” Ren offers, pulling Akechi along with him as he approaches the isolated wooden bench.  
  
Akechi allows himself to be led, and is soon sitting on the bench next to Ren, still quite close together and their hands still entwined. He’s too nervous to look over at Ren, who seems to be watching him, so he looks out over the water instead. It really is quite gorgeous; the morning sun shining down, casting shimmering light over the rippling water, making it sparkle like diamonds. The grass around them is almost fluorescent in color, and there are picturesque rolling hills across from them on the other side of the river, all under a bright blue sky.  
  
“This is my favorite spot here…” Ren says softly, now looking out across the water as well. “I used to come here a lot, when I needed somewhere to relax and think… or just to get away…”  
  
Akechi looks over at him, taking note of the faraway look in his eyes that seems melancholic, as he wonders what it was he needed to get away from. He feels an odd pang in his chest. An awkward silence hangs over them, and Akechi decides to break it.  
  
“Ren…” he starts.  
  
Ren looks at him, stormy grey eyes locking onto his wine colored ones. Akechi’s breath catches and he can’t finish what he was going to say…  
  
Ren’s eyes soften as they look at each other, the dark cloudiness lightening a bit to become somewhat feathery. It’s fascinating to watch, even though being on the other end of that gaze makes Akechi feel … mushy.  
  
“...What do you think of this place?” Ren asks, keeping his voice low and soft.  
  
Akechi feels tingles prickle over his skin.  
  
“...You mean the town or … here?”  
  
“Either… both…”  
  
Is it his imagination, or are they leaning closer together…?  
  
“Mm… I admit the town is smaller than I anticipated… but it’s charming… at least from the outside. I’ve yet to see what the people are like…”  
  
Ren smiles slightly. “You know better than to judge a book by its cover.”  
  
“Yes… not all things are as they seem, and I imagine with your… unfortunate reputation… their treatment of you is probably less than favorable…” Akechi answers, gently squeezing Ren’s hand as he speaks. It’s difficult to keep his irritation hidden at the thought of Ren being treated unfairly.  
  
Ren gently squeezes Akechi’s hand back, and starts lightly caressing the back of it with his thumb.  
  
“It’s sweet for you to get upset on my behalf, but I’m used to dealing with people like them,” Ren replies.  
  
“Who said I’m upset on your behalf?” Akechi retorts, though it’s more playful than stern.  
  
“Your hand gave you away,” Ren answers.  
  
“...Is that so…”  
  
They are definitely leaning closer together; Akechi can feel Ren’s breath… and his own heart pounding in his ears.  
  
“Mm… and you didn’t answer the other part, about what you think of this spot…” Ren continues, sounding a bit breathy as he’s almost whispering now.  
  
“...It’s breathtaking…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
His breath is shaky, and they’re close enough now that there is only one conceivable notion about what’s next… However Ren doesn’t close the gap. Perhaps he wants Akechi to…? He hesitates for a moment, but ultimately is unable to resist.  
  
He finally moves, and gently presses his lips against Ren’s in a tender kiss. It feels amazing… and his heart nearly pops out of his chest as Ren reciprocates. He lingers for an extended moment, enjoying the soft sensation, but then starts to pull back. Ren leans into him as he moves away, which Akechi finds adorable. He smiles as he leans his forehead against Ren’s.  
  
“...Why do you have to do that…” he whispers.  
  
“...Can’t help it…” Ren breathes, raising his free hand to caress Akechi’s cheek.  
  
Ren pulls him into another kiss; it’s slow and sweet, and Akechi feels like he’s simultaneously melting and being electrified as their lips part and slide over each other continuously. He moves his free hand, trailing it up Ren’s arm to his shoulder, then sliding it across the back of his neck and up into his hair to cradle the back of his head.  
  
After a couple moments, they break apart again and gaze at one another. Ren’s eyes look like pools of melted silver, or perhaps liquid mercury, and are looking at him with such deep emotion as Ren gently strokes his cheek with his thumb. He feels overwhelmed, and doesn’t know how to express it… aside from one thing.  
  
He pulls Ren back in, and the two spend some time indulging in warm affection, letting the gentle caressing of their lips express all the things they feel but have yet to say.  
  
-  
  
Akechi feels floaty again… as if he’s drifting along in an ocean of warmth…  
It’s incredible.  
_Ren_ is incredible…  
**_Being with Ren_ ** is incredible…  
  
He’s never felt like this before; it’s dizzying, in the best way. He imagines this may be what feeling high is like…  
  
All this just from some kisses. He can’t even begin to fathom what kind of affect other things may have…  
  
“...Akechi…” Ren whispers, breaking him out of his thoughts.  
  
Not that again.  
  
“Nnh… Call me Goro,” Akechi murmurs into Ren’s shoulder. They’ve since taken a break from the lip locking and have been hugging for the past couple minutes.  
  
“...Really?” Ren asks. He sounds like he’s about to cry.  
  
“...You already have. Don’t go back on it now…”  
  
“Mm! Okay… Goro…” Ren murmurs happily, hugging him tighter.  
  
Akechi closes his eyes and hugs Ren back, his heart swelling at the sound of his name in the other boy’s voice. No one has called him by his first name since he was a child, when she used to… It’s only appropriate that Ren be the next one to do so...  
  
Ren pulls back from the hug, leaving them face to face again. His eyes are still a shiny silver, with renewed sparkle in them. Akechi can’t help but find them gorgeous. Ren cups his hands around Akechi’s face and smiles at him; a warm, beautiful smile that Akechi knows is just for him. He covers one of Ren’s hands with his own and leans into it, not hiding his fondness of the contact this time.  
  
“Hi…” Ren whispers.  
  
“...Hi,” Akechi murmurs back, his heart feeling fluttery for the upteenth time.  
  
Ren tucks some hair behind Akechi’s ear, and Akechi wishes he’d keep doing it forever.  
  
“...Want to get some lunch? There’s a cafe around here that has decent food,” Ren offers, his voice still soft.  
  
While lunch does sound like a good idea, Akechi’s not quite ready to leave the sanctity of the bench just yet. He caresses Ren’s cheek, which feels warm despite the cold weather. His heart thumps hard in his chest as he guides Ren’s face back to his own, claiming the other boy’s lips again. He can feel Ren swoon, which brings him great joy on top of the pleasure of the kiss.  
  
After a moment they separate again, and Akechi can’t help but chuckle at the giddy look on Ren’s face.  
  
“Pfft… What kind of expression is that?” he asks, still snickering.  
  
Ren just giggles and continues to grin like a dope. This type of nonsensical reaction is normally something that Akechi would find irritating if not outright appalling, but this time his heart constricts at the sight. Ren is _his_ dope, and damnit if he isn’t insufferably **adorable**. But, seeing as he’s still not used to being confronted with such endearing behavior, Akechi puts his hand over Ren’s face, trying to hide the boy’s expression from his view.  
  
“Cut it out already… Didn’t you say something about lunch? Let’s do that…” Akechi says as he attempts to contain the blush he knows is steadily darkening his cheeks.  
  
Ren tugs at Akechi’s hand, pulling it down from his eyes; he then kisses the palm and fingers, leaving a warm tingling sensation where his lips brushed against Akechi’s skin. Akechi gets caught in his gaze; hypnotized by mercury eyes as they regard him with a loving look. His heartbeat increases as Ren moves closer, then melts as Ren kisses his cheek.  
  
“Mm… Lunch sounds good,” Ren purrs, the smile on his face now an amused grin.  
  
Akechi just nods, still entranced.  
  
Ren lifts Akechi’s hand to his mouth again, lightly kissing his knuckles. “It would be nice to stay like this all day, though…” he sighs, giving Akechi a longing glance.  
  
The sentence echoes in Akechi’s mind.  
  
_It would be nice to stay like this all day …_  
_Stay like this …_ **_like this_ ** _… snuggled up and kissing…_  
_All day… all day?_ **_All day_ ** _!?_  
  
He almost starts to think about what that would be like, but quickly throws the brakes on. _All day…_ He’s not sure he could survive that at this point.  
  
_And yet… it is tempting…_  
  
“Goro… What are you thinking about?” Ren asks out of the blue, sounding just a bit hopeful.  
  
Akechi bristles, and coughs.  
  
“Whoa, you okay?!” Ren asks in surprise, then starts rubbing his back.  
  
Akechi nods, and clears his throat. “Ahem… just a tickle…” he explains, though it comes out sounding a bit hoarse. Ren is still rubbing his back, which feels really nice… much more than it should. He takes another moment to recover before turning to Ren. “I’m alright,” he tells him, sounding normal again.  
  
Ren looks relieved. “That’s good,” he says, hand still resting on Akechi’s back. “...You want to go eat, then?”  
  
How can one hand be so warm?  
  
“Yeah, that sounds good…” Akechi replies.  
  
Ren seems hesitant, leaving his hand in the center of Akechi’s back for another moment before getting up. Akechi stands after him, and grabs that hand before Ren can shove them in his pockets.  
  
Ren looks surprised.  
  
“...Lend me this… Mine are cold,” Akechi says, taking the abducted hand and putting in the pocket of the blazer with his own. His heart does a flip as Ren shows him another warm smile.  
  
“Sure, but why do you make that sound like it’s my fault?” Ren asks as they start to walk.  
  
“Because it is.”  
  
“How is it my fault that you don’t have your gloves?”  
  
“You’re the one that inspired me to lose one in a duel challenge…”  
  
“Ooo, I inspired you?”  
  
“I meant infuriated.”  
  
“Mm. Of course.”  
  
Ren chuckles as he leans closer to him, and Akechi is filled with an incredibly warm feeling welling up from deep within. It feels oddly familiar; vaguely nostalgic. He tries to place what exactly it is. He feels... giddy, gleeful, elated, ecstatic, euphoric, happy.  
  
_Happy._ That’s it.  
  
He can’t recall the last time he felt this good… The only things that come close are other times he’s spent with Ren… and even those aren’t to the same degree. He used to push down the feeling soon after it started so it wouldn’t grow. But now … Now there’s no reason to stunt it.  
  
Now he’s free…  
And this wonderful feeling is something he could get used to.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
The walk to the cafe doesn’t take long, and part of you wishes it was a little longer… you even took a less direct path to get there in order to extend the walk as long as possible so you can keep sticking close and having your hand held… You wonder if Akechi noticed…  
  
Though as much as you don’t want to, you do end up separating as you reach the cafe. You start feeling nervous as you approach the entrance; not because of your company, but because you don’t know how you’ll be received inside. This is a small town. The kind where everybody knows everybody, and gossip incessantly. They’ve treated you poorly in the past when you were first arrested, so you’re a bit nervous that you might get thrown out the second they see who walked through the door.  
  
Much to your relief, this doesn’t happen. It may be because you have someone with you, or it may be because they don’t want to cause a scene, but you are treated (mostly) normally upon entering. The staff even managed to hold back their more intense glares until after you and Akechi were served, and kept their talk of you at a low volume once they were away from you. It’s an improvement. Akechi seems bothered by it, though.  
  
Despite his irritation at the staff, the two of you still have a nice lunch together, chatting casually as you eat. You do your best to ignore the whisperings around you, focusing instead on Akechi and the conversation between you. Once you’re both finished with the meal, you leave promptly, making sure to continue to be polite as you pay and make your exit.  
  
Akechi still seems grumpy as you walk to the grocery store next.  
  
“Does it really not bother you?” he asks suddenly.  
  
“Hm? Does what not bother me?”  
  
“Don’t play dumb.”  
  
“Ah, you mean the stares,” you reply playfully.  
  
“Ren…”  
  
“I’ve had worse. I mean, at least they still served us. And didn’t mess with the food…”  
  
“You’ve had someone mess with your food?” Akechi asks, appalled.  
  
“What, are you going to arrest them?” you tease, nudging his side. “I’m just saying I’ve had much worse so this isn’t really that bad.” Akechi sighs, giving you an unamused look.  
  
“...I still don’t like it…” he murmurs. He gently squeezes your hand, and starts caressing it with his thumb. It’s comforting.  
  
“You’re sweet,” you say, smiling as you lean into him.  
  
“No, I’m not,” Akechi emphasizes.  
  
_But you are…_ you answer in your mind. And he is. Much more than you thought he’d be… You chuckle and squeeze his hand back. He glances at you, looking like he wants to ask what you’re amused by, but he doesn’t.  
  
You continue on towards the local grocery store, still sticking close together as you walk.  
  
-  
  
The grocery store is a bit past the middle of town where the cafe was, being closer to the train station than your home. It’s a pain, but at least you’re able to get some exercise. The store itself isn’t very large, but still has a good selection of items and is usually well stocked.  
  
As you walk in together, you immediately start getting odd looks. You ignore them, dropping Akechi’s hand in order to grab a basket. You push it into his hands, giving him a reassuring smile in the process. Some of his tension seems to dissipate after that, and you enjoy walking around the store with him as you choose various items you need. He seems to be enjoying it too. It feels.. Comfortable. Like you do this all the time, despite this being the first.  
  
_...the first…_  
_Yes. The first of many shopping trips…_  
_and hopefully many other things…_  
  
The two of you make your way around the store, him carrying the basket and you picking out things and adding to it.  
  
“You really don’t have any preferences? …Like, not even stuff you don’t like or won’t eat?” you ask as you look through the selection of vegetables, carefully assessing each section for the best ones.  
  
“I really don’t… Is that hard to believe?” Akechi answers. You hear clicking, and glance back at him. He’s fiddling with the handles of the basket. Is it a nervous tick?  
  
“A bit, yeah. Everyone has foods they don’t like…” you reply. You see a nice looking tomato and a couple large carrots and snatch them up, adding them to the basket.  
  
“...Liking or disliking isn’t important… Food is just fuel, and I’ve always treated it as such.”  
  
That’s kind of a bleak way to look at it, but you can’t blame him. “Mm… That just means I get to figure out your tastes through trial and error… Sounds fun.” You glance back at him with a roguish smile, then head to the next section.  
  
Akechi is quiet as he follows you, then changes the subject. “...Where are your parents, by the way?” he asks suddenly. That was… _abrupt._  
  
Your tension quickly turns to amusement. “Shouldn’t you have asked about that last night?” Your heart swells as Akechi’s cheeks turn a light pink.  
  
“Ah… Well. It just slipped my mind I suppose…” He fiddles with his sleeve. Seeing him like this makes your chest tighten; he’s so cute you want to kiss him. You then remember that you’re still in the middle of the grocery store.  
  
“They’re away on business,” you say instead.  
  
“...Oh?” he responds, looking up at you again. There’s a glimmer of … something in his gaze, but it vanishes before you can decipher it.  
  
“Mm… For a week,” you say, turning towards the next area you need to go to. “So we’ll have the place to ourselves for a little while,” you add, glancing over your shoulder at him. ...Did he just shiver? You face forward again to hide your blush.  
  
“I… see…” Akechi mumbles. There’s a moment of silence between you before he speaks again. “So… What else do we need to get…?”  
  
The use of the term ‘we’ makes your heart flutter, and you stop walking for a moment so you can lean into him and link your arms together. “Hmm… Well, I’d like to look at the coffee beans… and we still need to get stuff for Morgana,” you say, tapping your chin.  
  
Akechi agrees; the soft hum of his voice sends tingles through you, which only intensifies as he tightens his arm around yours and takes your hand. It’s warm, and suddenly you can’t wait to get home so you can cuddle him.  
  
You lead him around the store, efficiently hitting the areas you need things from as you both quickly but carefully select items, and it doesn’t take long before you finish. Happy with the amount you were able to get while still being mindful that you have to carry it all back, you head to the checkout. It’s an awkward process… the cashier won’t look at you (which you expected) and you can feel the tension rippling off Akechi as he stands beside you. You want to soothe him, but also know that it’d be better to get out of here as soon as you can.  
  
And you’re right. Once the two of you are out of the store, he relaxes again. You each maneuver your load of groceries in such a way that you can still hold hands while you walk, and the thought that maybe he needs the contact as much as you do makes your heart overflow.  
  
The walk back is peaceful, and you let your mind wander a little - thinking about the supplies you bought and what kind of blends you want to try… “I’m thinking about trying out the new coffee gear when we get back,” you offer, knowing that you’re close to the house now.  
  
“Mm… Coffee does sound nice…”  
  
“I thought you might like some… It probably won’t be the same caliber as Leblanc’s, but I’ll do my best.”  
  
“I'm sure whatever you make will turn out well.”  
  
You look down as your face heats. Even the smallest compliment from him makes you blush… was it always like this? Thankfully, it doesn’t take much longer before you arrive at the house.  
  
-  
  
You call out a greeting to Mona as you enter the house and eagerly slide off your shoes. The cat appears quickly, and begins questioning you about fish as you walk to the kitchen. You banter with him, but your thoughts are somewhere else…  
  
Even though he’s remained silent and has stayed behind you, all your focus has been on Akechi. You can sense his movements as he carefully slides off his shoes and puts your blazer back in the closet before following you to the kitchen. You start putting things away as you wait for him, absentmindedly continuing the conversation with your cat as he jumps on the table.  
  
Akechi soon enters the kitchen with a sigh, and your heart immediately quivers at the sound, and proceeds to beat at a faster rate as he moves next to you. Your brain chooses this time to remember the kisses on the bench, and suddenly being close to him makes you feel electric.  
  
“I suppose you don’t want the fish we did get? Since you’re so picky,” Akechi says, the cutting remark aimed at Morgana. You can’t help but laugh, which you’re sure he notices.  
  
“Wha-? Who said that? I still want it!” Mona cries. It’s so easy to mess with him, and it amuses you that Akechi is taking advantage of that.  
  
“Then get off the damn table,” Akechi responds flatly. You get the impression they’ve had this conversation before.  
  
You glance behind you in time to see a grumpy looking cat hop down and leave the room in a huff.  
  
“You’re too lenient with him,” Akechi says, looking at you now. Your heart skips from having those eyes on you.  
  
“Sojiro says the same thing,” you say with a shrug. You know you spoil Mona, but it also doesn’t bother you to have him on counters and furniture. It’s not like he’s getting into anything or making a mess… he just likes to be closer to eye level when talking.  
  
“I know you think of him as more than just a pet, but that’s not an excuse to let him do whatever he wants and climb all over the table… We don’t do that…” Akechi says with a sigh. The thought of that makes you smirk.  
  
“You could if you wanted to.”  
  
“Wha… What would I do that for?” Akechi asks, bewildered. The expression is adorable, and your smirk grows into a full on grin as an idea pops into your mind.  
  
“I dunno. Table dance maybe?” you tease.  
  
He blushes. “What the hell? I don’t understand what goes on in that brain of yours…”  
  
“It’s pretty much all Goro all the time,” you tease, though it’s true.  
  
He looks shocked, and you watch him carefully as various emotions rise and fall in his eyes - surprise, doubt, joy, fondness, fear… hope.  
  
“Surely you’re joking…” Akechi stammers.  
  
Your heart thumps, and you turn to face him, feeling compelled to let him know your feelings. “...What if I’m not…?”  
  
Akechi stares at you, his gaze calculating. “That…” he says after a moment, but trails off as his expression turns dark.  
  
You step closer to him. “‘That…’ what?”  
  
He looks down, avoiding your gaze. “That… sounds like it would be painful,” he says quietly.  
  
A strangled laugh escapes your throat before you realize it. Akechi lifts his gaze to meet yours. “Yeah, no shit…” you chuckle. Your eyes sting.  
  
It takes a second before you realize he’s reaching towards you now, a sympathetic look on his face as his fingers lightly brush across your skin, his thumb wiping away the tear that’s falling. You weren’t expecting this kind of reaction from him, but you are both moved by it and welcome it as you lean into his touch, placing your hand over his and pressing it into your cheek as you move closer.  
  
“...So why…” he all but whispers. You almost didn’t catch the question, and give him a curious look in response.  
  
“Why would you choose that? … I’m no good for you… and I certainly don’t deserve it…” he says in a low voice as he caresses your cheek. Ah, he still doesn’t get it. Your heart thumps again as you start to smile.  
  
“It wasn’t much of a choice… feelings like these never are…” you explain, placing your hand on his chest, “Though, even if it was, I’d still choose you…”  
  
He’s so warm… and you can feel his heart flutter under your hand. Your own does the same as he slides his arm around your waist.  
  
“...And whether or not you’re ‘good for me’ or if you ‘deserve’ this… Frankly, it’s not up to you. I’ll be the one to decide that, and I have absolutely no intention of letting you run away,” you tell him firmly. You can feel his heart beat harder as he murmurs your name.  
  
“...Ren…”  
  
You smile at him, moving your hand from his chest to tuck some hair behind his ear, then leave it resting on his cheek.  
  
“You’re precious, you know…” you say as your hand starts to move again, caressing the soft skin of his face, your fingers running over his cheekbone and down his jawline.  
  
Akechi starts to move all at once - his arm tightens around you in a hug as the hand on your cheek moves into your hair and he follows the guide of your fingers, leaning in to kiss you. You melt as your lips make contact, sinking into him as you put your arms up around his neck. Being enveloped like this feels so good… you inadvertently make a soft sound as you press up against him, pulling him further into the kiss.  
  
That… certainly had an effect.  
  
After a couple minutes, you pull back, pleased with yourself. You hold Akechi as he collapses into you, hugging him and running your fingers through his hair as he hides his face in your shoulder. You can feel the heat coming off it through your sweater.  
  
“Why don’t you sit? I’ll finish this up and then make us some coffee,” you suggest.  
  
You feel him nod, and he hugs you tighter for a moment. Your heart swells as you hug him back, and starts to ache a little as he lets go and moves away. However it recovers a bit with the adorable way he shuffles over to the table and hides his face in that detective novel… you wonder if he’ll be able to concentrate enough to read it…  
  
-  
  
The answer is no, which becomes apparent almost immediately. You can _feel_ him thinking… the tension rising off him like little wisps of aura. It doesn’t feel negative though, which makes you smile. You can’t help feeling good about having such an affect on him…  
  
You wonder what exactly he’s thinking about as you put the rest of the groceries away. Was it the kiss? Or what you said? You weigh the options in your mind, and by the time you start on the coffee, you’ve decided it’s probably a combination of both, with more thought going into what you said. You think about what you know of his past, and wonder if anyone has ever said anything close to that to him before… You feel a twinge of pain in your chest at that thought, and sympathize with it. It’s not like you’re much different… though you do know his circumstances were far worse.  
  
Pushing those thoughts out of your mind, you pick up the two mugs of hot coffee and turn back towards the table, smiling as your eyes fall onto Akechi, still lost in thought as he stares at what is probably the same page of the book he was on earlier today.  
  
“You enjoying that novel?” you ask, purposefully leaning close to him as you set his mug down. You see him jump, though he tries to hide his shock. You manage to keep your laughter in as you move to sit across from him, though it’s hard.  
  
“...Yes… It’s one I hadn’t read before,” he replies, attempting to appear calm and collected. It almost works.  
  
“...That so…” you respond, watching him carefully as you lift your mug, still amused at his attempt to fool you.  
  
“Yes…” Akechi says decisively, intently holding your gaze as he reaches for his own mug. It’s exactly this kind of stubbornness that you find endearing, and makes him fun to play with. Not wanting to back down yourself, you keep your eyes locked on his.  
  
A moment goes by, and his expression softens slightly. Perhaps he’s satisfied with you not having said anymore, as he drops his eyes and closes them, taking a sip of the coffee you prepared. You notice he takes a long moment to swallow. Is he savoring it that much?  
  
You get your answer as his expression turns again, a happy little smile spreading across his face. Your heart races at the sight of it.  
  
“Mm… Delicious,” he says softly. You make a vow to prepare him coffee as much as possible for the rest of your life.  
  
As he opens his eyes again, you see a flash of surprise in them before he looks away; is he being bashful now? You smile to yourself as you watch him awkwardly sip the coffee and scan the lines of that book, before setting it down with a sigh.  
  
“Did you get tired of it?” you ask. You know he didn’t but you can’t help yourself when he’s being so cute.  
  
“Tch… How the hell am I supposed to concentrate on it when you’re over here ogling me?” he responds, glaring at you from the corner of his eye.  
  
He’s flirting back isn’t he? You grin.  
  
“It’s not my fault you’re so handsome… What am I supposed to do, not look?”  
  
He blushes deeply at that, and frowns.  
  
You chuckle. “...Even your scowl is cute,” you tell him.  
  
“...Are you quite finished?”  
  
“Never.”  
  
You proceed to shower him with compliments as the two of you drink your coffee, growing more and more amused as he gets increasingly flustered. You tell him how pretty he is, and how much you like his hair, and his eyes - especially when he glares at you, for which he calls you an idiot - and his intellect and sharp wit, even his less-than-nice demeanor. You’re not sure if he fully believes you, but he seems to like the attention, so that’s a start. If he doesn’t believe it, you’ll keep telling him until he does, and still more so afterwards, so he never forgets.  
  
“You want to watch a movie? There’s a particular sci fi film I want to show you… It’s technically an indie film but it’s really good. I think you’ll like it.”  
  
He doesn’t respond.  
  
_He really gets lost in thought too much…_  
  
“...Goro?”  
  
“...Yes?” he responds finally.  
  
“Is that good with you?” you ask, wondering if he even heard what you said.  
  
“...Of course…” Akechi answers.  
  
Even if he didn’t hear you, you like how he sticks to the act as if he did. Really you’re just glad for the positive anwer, as you’re excited to show this to him.  
  
“All right! Let’s move to the living room, then,” you say cheerily. He doesn’t say anymore, but quietly follows you as you get up and leave the kitchen.  
  
-  
  
As you walk through the living room, you motion to the couch, telling Akechi to have a seat. He does, and you can feel his eyes on you as you move to the entertainment center and start checking to make sure everything is connected as it should be. Interestingly enough, you’re starting to find being under his gaze pleasant and almost comforting, rather than nerve wracking. You start to wonder why that is, but quickly toss out that train of thought as it doesn’t matter. You soon find the DVD you’re looking for, and happily comment on it as you place it in the player.  
  
As you get up and face the couch again, your eyes immediately meet Akechi’s, as if they were drawn together. You knew he was watching you, but it still makes your heart skip whenever you catch him doing it. You make your way over to him and sit down, leaning against him as you stretch your legs out across the rest of the sofa.  
  
“...Do you really have to take up all the space?” a soft voice asks in your ear.  
  
The butterflies in your stomach start rioting as you tilt your head back and look up at Akechi. He’s ridiculously handsome even from this angle. “Hm? Did you want to lie down…?” you ask, partially teasing and partially hopeful.  
  
“...No…” he murmurs, though you wonder if he’s too shy to say yes.  
  
“Oh? Then that means I can stay like this, right?” you conclude as you bat your eyelashes at him. You’re delighted as he blushes from that, even though he covers your face with his hands.  
  
“D-Don’t look at me like that,” he stammers  
  
_So cute…_  
  
“If you two are done flirting can we start the movie already?!” Mona whines, the sound coming from next to your head. You forgot he was here. Still, you giggle, unable to contain the giddiness that has built up, though you do tilt your head back up and stop pestering Akechi, deciding that it would be good to start the film before it gets any later.  
  
You’re surprised when Akechi puts his arm around you, draping it over your shoulder and across your torso, his hand landing on your hip; your heart rate picks up as he does it, and you wonder if he can feel it… You’ve never cuddled or been held like this before… the weight of his arm is comforting, protective. You hold onto it instinctively, absentmindedly tracing your fingers up and down his forearm as you watch the movie. It’s cosy, and nice… until his hand flinches and his fingers slide across your hip; your mind goes completely blank then as your heart rate spikes and a fire burns in your gut… It takes a couple minutes to recover, but you do.  
  
You spend the majority of the film in comfortable silence, watching intently from your cosy place on the sofa together. Then about three quarters of the way through it, you hear an odd growl from behind you.  
  
_Was that his stomach?_  
  
“If you’re hungry we can stop and get food,” you offer, looking up at him.  
  
“I want to finish this,” he replies simply, eyes not leaving the screen.  
  
“Well I can at least start it so you don’t have to wait as long….” you reply, attempting to get up. He holds you in place.  
  
“Stay here...”  
  
Your heart thumps hard against your ribcage. “Okay…” you murmur, a bit in shock but also elated. Your heart races as you settle back against him and hug his arm. He hugs you a bit more than he had previously, adding his other arm into the equation as he turns more towards you. You’re leaning more against his chest than his side now, with both his arms holding you and both his hands on your hip. It feels as if you’re being claimed, and it’s exhilarating. It’s also ridiculously comforting, and you soon relax and enjoy the rest of the movie with him.  
  
Once the film ends and the credits start rolling, you tilt your head back again to look at Akechi. Viewing him from this angle is fun, and seems to fluster him more than usual… “Shall I make dinner now?” you ask. He simply nods in response, and moves his arm so you can get up. You do so reluctantly, not wanting to leave the comfort of his side, but the two of you _do_ need to eat. He gets up after you, and you head to the kitchen with both him and Morgana in tow, the latter reminding you about his promised fish.  
  


* * *

  
The cafe they stop in for lunch is small; a family run affair, but well-run and taken care of.  
  
The menu is rather limited, but the food they do get is well made. Even the service is decent, considering. The staff are professional enough to hold their judgmental and disapproving stares until _after_ the orders were taken and served.  
  
Akechi is still angry, though. They can’t even eat lunch without getting dirty looks? Are the people in this town really that deplorable? And Ren seems completely unphased. Does he really not care, or is he just acting for Akechi’s sake? That thought bothers him.  
  
They chat a little as they eat, but don’t dwell after they finish. Ren pays and thanks the staff with a smile, as if they treated him perfectly well and not like some leper they shoved in a corner and stared at disdainfully until he decided to leave.  
  
“Does it really not bother you?” Akechi asks as they make their way towards the local grocery store next.  
  
“Hm? Does what not bother me?” Ren asks.  
  
“Don’t play dumb.”  
  
“Ah, you mean the stares,” Ren replies lightheartedly.  
  
“Ren…”  
  
“I’ve had worse. I mean, at least they still served us. And didn’t mess with the food…” he adds.  
  
Fury spikes through Akechi’s gut.  
  
“You’ve had someone mess with your food?” he asks, appalled.  
  
“What, are you going to arrest them?” Ren teases, poking Akechi in the ribs with his elbow. “I’m just saying I’ve had much worse so this isn’t really that bad.”  
  
Akechi sighs, the anger fading some but still lingering in the background. “...I still don’t like it…” he murmurs, gently squeezing Ren’s hand and rubbing his thumb across the back of it.  
  
Ren leans into him with a smile on his face. “You’re sweet.”  
  
“No, I’m not,” Akechi asserts.  
  
Ren just chuckles and squeezes Akechi’s hand back.  
  
_Tch… he’s the sweet one, not me…_ Akechi thinks to himself, though he still feels a soft warmth bloom inside from being regarded in such a way.  
  
_...I guess it’s okay if only he thinks so…_  
  
-  
  
The walk to the grocery store isn’t too long, thankfully, as Akechi is starting to get tired. While still better than when he first got out of the hospital, his stamina isn’t what it used to be.  
  
They get some weird looks upon walking in the modest store, but Ren ignores them as expected. Akechi does his best not to glare at everyone around them, and as such just ends up looking around at the shelves and displays while avoiding the few other individuals in the area. It’s not too difficult, since those other people are avoiding them like the plague.  
  
Shopping itself is kind of nice… He holds the basket while Ren leads him around, adding various things to it as they go. It’s kind of peaceful in a way, having quiet normal moments like this.  
  
“You really don’t have any preferences? …Like, not even stuff you don’t like or won’t eat?” Ren asks as he peruses the selection of fresh vegetables.  
  
“I really don’t… Is that hard to believe?” Akechi answers, fiddling with the basket handles.  
  
“A bit, yeah. Everyone has foods they don’t like…” Ren replies. “Oh, this one looks good…” he murmurs, adding a couple things to the basket.  
  
Akechi admires his diligence in searching for the most quality items. “...Liking or disliking isn’t important… Food is just fuel, and I’ve always treated it as such,” he says, somewhat half heartedly. It’s not untrue; up until recently he would just eat whatever whenever he needed to. Sure there are things he likes more than others (nice sushi, for example), but eating itself has always been a chore more than an enjoyable experience.  
  
“Mm… That just means I get to figure out your tastes through trial and error… Sounds fun.” Ren shoots him a playful glance before moving on to another section of produce.  
  
Something about that sentence and the way it was said makes Akechi feel a bit bashful… Which confuses him. They’re just talking about food, so why? He shakes his head and follows Ren to the next display.  
  
“...Where are your parents, by the way?” Akechi blurts. It’s not quite the smooth transition he was aiming for, but here we are.  
  
Ren looks a bit surprised at the sudden inquiry, but that quickly turns to a more mischievous expression. “Shouldn’t you have asked about that last night?” he teases.  
  
Having the question turned around on him like that makes him feel a bit warm. “Ah… Well. It just slipped my mind I suppose…” He goes to adjust his glove, forgetting he’s not wearing them today. He pulls at the sleeve of his shirt instead.  
  
“They’re away on business,” Ren tells him.  
  
Akechi looks up. “Oh?”  
  
“Mm… For a week,” he continues, “so we’ll have the place to ourselves for a little while.” That last line is delivered with a coy glance over his shoulder.  
  
Akechi shivers. “I... see…” he mumbles, fiddling with the sleeve of his borrowed shirt again. “So… What else do we need to get…?”  
  
Ren leans into him again, linking their arms in the process. “Hmm… Well, I’d like to look at the coffee beans… and we still need to get stuff for Morgana,” he says thoughtfully.  
  
Akechi’s heart pounds harder at the casual contact, and part of him wishes that they not be separated again. “Mm… All right,” he agrees, tightening his arm around Ren’s and sliding his hand down to link with the other’s.  
  
They take their time walking around the store, picking up things they need here and there. Ren scours the coffee beans while Akechi carefully examines the fresh fish, choosing only the best fillets. When they feel they have enough supply for now, they head to the checkout. Akechi stands uncomfortably with Ren as the cashier awkwardly rings up their purchase, trying not to make eye contact with either of them. Ren remains perfectly polite and cordial, though it doesn’t make a difference. Akechi internally curses the employee, along with everyone else in town. He’s relieved once the transaction is over and they can leave.  
  
The walk back to Ren’s home is peaceful. They still hold hands despite having bags of food to carry, but it’s not much of a hindrance.  
  
“I’m thinking about trying out the new coffee gear when we get back,” Ren says as they get close to the house.  
  
“Mm… Coffee does sound nice…” Akechi replies honestly. He could use a caffeine boost about now with how tired he is.  
  
“I thought you’d like some… It probably won’t be the same caliber as Leblanc’s blends, but I’ll do my best.”  
  
“I’m sure whatever you make will turn out well.” The words came without much thought, and Akechi glances over to see what kind of effect they had…  
  
Ren looks a bit pink as he looks down at the sidewalk.  
  
A favorable response.  
  
The rest of their stroll is spent in comfortable silence, and they arrive at the house before too long.  
  
-  
  
“We’re back!” Ren calls out as soon as they walk in the door.  
  
“Welcome back! Did you get me fish? Is it salmon??” The cat responds enthusiastically, appearing from nowhere like a ghost, then eagerly following Ren as he heads towards the kitchen.  
  
Akechi puts his borrowed blazer back in the coat closet before heading in the same direction with the rest of the groceries, and ironically, the fish.  
  
“What do you mean there’s no salmon?!”  
  
Akechi hears the shrill complaint before even entering the room it came from.  
  
“This grocer only sells locally caught fish, Mona… Salmon’s not local,” Ren explains.  
  
Akechi just sighs as he walks into the kitchen area. Morgana is on the table again as Ren is putting away the things he was carrying. Akechi joins him at his side, unloading the bags he’s holding.  
  
“I suppose you don’t want the fish we did get? Since you’re so picky,” he says, with no short amount of snark.  
  
He hears Ren snicker under his breath.  
  
“Wha-? Who said that?! I still want it!” the cat loudly protests.  
  
“Then get off the damn table.”  
  
An annoyed grumble is heard, followed by the sound of paws hitting the floor.  
  
“You’re too lenient with him,” Akechi says, addressing Ren, now.  
  
“Sojiro says the same thing,” Ren answers with a shrug, as if that’s a good response.  
  
Akechi sighs. “I know you think of him as more than just a pet, but that’s not an excuse to let him do whatever he wants and climb all over the table… We don’t do that…”  
  
“You could if you wanted to,” Ren retorts with a smirk.  
  
_What the hell?_  
  
“Wha… What would I do that for?” Akechi asks, dumbfounded by the turn in the conversation.  
  
“I dunno. Table dance, maybe?” Ren suggests, his smirk growing into a full grin.  
  
Akechi flushes at the suggestion. Did he seriously just say that?  
  
“What the hell? I don’t understand what goes on in that brain of yours…”  
  
“It’s pretty much all Goro all the time,” Ren replies, flashing him a playful look.  
  
Akechi’s heart does some kind of sickening acrobatics in response to that sentiment and the look he received. Ren is going to be the death of him at this rate… “Surely you’re joking…” is all he manages to respond with once he’s able to speak. He knows Ren is fond of him, but surely he’s not _constantly_ on the boy’s mind… right? Though part of him wants it to be true.  
  
“...What if I’m not…?” Ren says, facing him now.  
  
Akechi is stunned. His erratic heart freezes, and he studies Ren’s expression - it’s serious.  
He’s serious.  
  
“That…” Akechi starts, but trails off, furrowing his brows as his mind turns in a negative direction.  
  
“‘That…’ what?” Ren asks, stepping closer.  
  
“That… sounds like it would be painful,” Akechi murmurs as he looks down. With the kind of difficult past they’ve had, Ren must have been tormented if Akechi really was on his mind constantly.  
  
He hears a strained laugh, and lifts his eyes.  
  
“Yeah, no shit…” Ren replies with a chuckle. He looks like he has tears in the corners of his eyes.  
  
A sharp pain stabs through Akechi’s heart, and he instinctively reaches out, lightly brushing his fingers across Ren’s cheek as he moves his hand to wipe the tear away with his thumb as it falls. A cold, twisted lump forms in his chest.  
  
Ren seems a bit surprised at the contact, but immediately leans into Akechi’s touch, placing his own hand over Akechi’s and pressing it against his cheek as he steps closer.  
  
A bittersweet pang erupts from the twisted lump.  
  
“...So why…” Akechi murmurs, barely audible.  
  
Ren catches his gaze and gives him a questioning look.  
  
“Why would you choose that? … I’m no good for you… and I certainly don’t deserve it…” Akechi clarifies, keeping his voice low and his gaze steady as he caresses Ren’s cheek.  
  
The corner of Ren’s mouth flicks up as if Akechi said something ridiculous. “It wasn’t much of a choice… feelings like these never are…” Ren starts off, placing his other hand on Akechi’s chest. “Though, even if it was, I’d still choose you…”  
  
The twisted knot in Akechi’s chest loosens, and his heart starts beating faster again as an impossible warmth starts spreading through him. He slips his free hand around Ren’s waist to hold him in place.  
  
“...And whether or not you’re ‘good for me’ or if you ‘deserve’ this… Frankly, it’s not up to you. I’ll be the one to decide that, and I have absolutely no intention of letting you run away,” Ren continues, every word firm and resolute; his gaze adds emphasis - steely and stern, but with a softness in the depths of it that conveys genuine sincerity. Akechi’s breath hitches.  
  
“...Ren…” he murmurs, astonished at what was said and the implications. He can hardly believe what he’s hearing, but he so desperately wants it that he decides it must be true… Ren wouldn’t lie to him.  
  
Ren shows him a loving smile as he raises his hand from Akechi’s chest and brushes some hair back from his face, tucking the strands behind his ear before resting his hand upon his cheek. His touch is so warm and so gentle Akechi almost melts immediately.  
  
“You’re precious, you know…” Ren says softly. He strokes Akechi’s cheek, caressing his cheekbone then running his fingers along his jawline. Impossible words, and too many feelings; the combination of that statement and the way he’s being touched is overwhelming...  
  
Akechi follows the guide of Ren’s fingers and leans in to kiss him, sliding the hand from Ren’s cheek into his hair as he hugs him around the waist with his other arm. Ren puts his arms up around Akechi’s neck and sinks into him as he returns the kiss.  
  
Akechi feels like his body is alight again as Ren presses up against him and pulls him further into the kiss, letting out a soft noise as he does so.  
  
Akechi’s heart stops.  
  
After a couple moments, Ren pulls back, and Akechi collapses into him, resting his head on his shoulder as he hides his face. Ren hugs him and runs his fingers through his hair.  
  
“Why don’t you sit? I’ll finish this up then make us some coffee,” Ren offers, his voice soft and soothing.  
  
Akechi nods, and hugs him tighter for a moment before letting go. He shuffles over to the kitchen table and sits, picking up the detective novel that was left there earlier in the day. He opens the book to the page he left off on, though he knows he won’t be able to concentrate on it. He still holds it open though, pretending to read as his mind focuses on other things…  
  
-  
  
_You’re precious, you know…_  
  
Those words stick in his mind the entire time he sits at the table, not reading his book while Ren moves about the kitchen putting things away, then still while blending, grinding, and brewing coffee.  
  
_You’re precious…_  
  
No one has ever said that to him, not once. On reflex he wants to think it’s a lie… but it doesn’t feel like a lie… and Ren isn’t the sort of person to lie about something like that… But believing it feels dangerous somehow… like he’ll sink into an abyss he won’t ever be able to escape from.  
  
But… maybe that wouldn’t be so bad?  
  
_You’re precious…_  
  
God, what a thing to say. Akechi already knew Ren was a sentimental sap, but that? That’s just … How can he say stuff like that so easily? How can… How can he _feel_ that for someone like Akechi? It doesn’t make any sense.  
  
_But maybe it doesn’t need to make sense_ … something whispers inside him.  
  
Yeah… maybe it doesn’t…  
  
But that still makes him anxious.  
  
“You enjoying that novel?”  
  
Akechi nearly jumps out of his skin at the sound of Ren’s voice next to him. He takes a moment to remove the shock from his face before looking up from the pages, just in time to see Ren moving around the table to sit across from him with a mug of steaming coffee. It smells amazing.  
  
“...Yes… It’s one I hadn’t read before,” he answers simply.  
  
“...That so…” Ren replies, lifting his mug to take a sip as he gazes at Akechi with a peculiar sparkle in his eye.  
  
Oh no… Surely he didn’t notice that Akechi has been sitting here _not_ reading for the past twenty or so minutes while he was busy doing all those things…  
  
“Yes…” Akechi replies, steadily holding Ren’s gaze as he reaches for his mug of coffee. The delicate aroma of the brew helps keep him calm during this little staring showdown.  
  
Ren is still smirking like he knows a secret, but doesn’t say anything more about it, thankfully.  
  
Feeling content with the situation, Akechi allows himself to lower his eyes, closing them briefly as he takes the first sip of the coffee Ren specially prepared. Dopamine immediately floods his brain as the brew hits his tongue and his senses fill with the delectable taste and aroma. He holds the liquid in his mouth for a moment, savoring it before swallowing.  
“Mm… Delicious,” he murmurs, unable to restrain the honest smile that crept across his face during the tasting.  
  
When he opens his eyes again, his stomach does an impressive flip. Ren’s expression has changed once again; those grey eyes that were looking at him with an amused sort of playfulness now reflect fondness and adoration… the gaze is so soft it startles Akechi.  
  
He does his best not to choke as he takes another sip of coffee and looks back to the same page of that book that he has been staring at for half an hour. He reads the same sentence a few times before giving up, letting out a sigh as he closes the book and sets it on the table.  
  
“Did you get tired of it?” Ren asks innocently, pretending he’s not at fault for this.  
  
“Tch… How the hell am I supposed to concentrate on it when you’re over here ogling me?” Akechi retorts, adding a sideways glare to showcase his annoyance.  
  
The brat grins.  
  
“It’s not my fault you’re so handsome… What am I supposed to do, not look?” Ren replies, as if it’s the most obvious answer.  
  
Akechi frowns as his face betrays him. He’s aware of his attractive appearance, and has had many people compliment him on it… Yet when Ren says it, he can’t stop himself from blushing… It’s infuriating.  
  
“Heh…. even your scowl is cute…” Ren chuckles.  
  
_Oh for fuck’s sake_ …  
  
“...Are you quite finished?”  
  
“Never.”  
  
And so they sit, drinking coffee while Ren continually piles more compliments onto an increasingly flustered Akechi. As embarrassing as it is, he doesn’t hate the attention, and Ren seems to be having fun… though he still gets filled with the desire to get Ren back for this… How nice it would be to watch his cool facade devolve into a hot mess…  
  
“...Goro?”  
  
He stifles a cough. “...Yes?”  
  
“Is that good with you?”  
  
Shit… He had stopped paying attention to whatever Ren was saying as he daydreamed. “...Of course…” he answers anyway, hoping he didn’t agree to something too absurd.  
  
Ren brightens up. “All right! Let’s move to the living room, then.”  
  
_Oh fuck what did I just agree to…_  
  
He stands with Ren, and follows him out of the kitchen, leaving the mugs behind on the table to be dealt with later.  
  
-  
  
“Have a seat,” Ren says, motioning to the couch as they enter the living room.  
  
Akechi does, settling himself on the end of the sofa farther from the TV. He watches as Ren huddles around the entertainment center, checking the connections to the DVD player, then as he starts looking through the small pile of movies. Akechi briefly wonders what kind of film they’re about to watch when he feels a pair of eyes on him. He looks across to the recliner to find Morgana watching him with sharp eyes. Akechi stares back, unrelenting. He’ll be damned if he’s going to let this stupid cat keep getting in the way of… of… whatever it is he has right now.  
  
“Ah, there it is!” Ren says cheerily from the TV corner.  
  
The happiness in his voice warms Akechi’s heart, and he looks away from the cat thing, focusing back on Ren as the boy inserts a DVD into the player while humming, a pleased look on his face.  
  
_How can he be so cute…_  
  
Akechi’s heart skips as grey eyes are suddenly on him, and moving closer. He swallows, hard, as Ren settles on the couch next to him, leaning against him as he stretches his legs out over the rest of the couch.  
  
Akechi can feel his pulse in his ears. “...Do you really have to take up all the space?” he hears himself saying.  
  
Ren tilts his head back and looks up at Akechi, “Hm? Did you want to lie down…?”  
  
This angle is too much…  
  
“...No…” Akechi murmurs, trying to keep the heat in his chest from spreading.  
  
“Oh? Then that means I can stay like this, right?” Ren teases, his expression flirtatious as he bats his eyelashes at Akechi.  
  
Akechi fails to hold his blush back after _THAT_ and resorts to covering Ren’s face with his hands instead. “D-Don’t look at me like that!” he stammers.  
  
“If you two are done flirting can we start the movie already?!” Morgana complains from alarmingly close by.  
  
Akechi turns his head to see that the cat is now perched along the top of the couch near Ren’s head, and is rolling its eyes at them. How rude.  
  
Ren just giggles (causing Akechi’s heart to tighten in his chest) and raises his head, moving out of Akechi’s grasp. He stays leaning against him though, which Akechi is glad for. He shifts a little too, and places one arm over Ren - draping it over the boy’s shoulder and across his torso. Ren clings to his arm a bit, which makes his heart flutter, and they start the movie.  
  
The film is some sci-fi thing that Akechi has a bit of trouble focusing on at first, which seems to be a theme today....  
  
And one thing has been the cause of all his distractions.  
  
One infuriatingly attractive, thoughtful, caring thing with stupid fluffy hair and pretty eyes.  
  
The thing he has his arm around… that he’s tempted to lean closer to… or pull onto his lap and hug…  
  
Ren’s frame fits so perfectly against him, Akechi can’t help but think about these things… It doesn’t help that Ren is holding onto his arm like some kind of prized possession, and absentmindedly running his fingertips along the length of it from elbow to wrist; it tickles, but also feels nice… One such motion tickles more than not, causing Akechi to flinch a little, and his fingers to brush along Ren’s hip in the process. He can feel the spike in Ren’s heart beat as it happens, and makes a mental note of it.  
  
After a few minutes, he gets more used to the contact and is able to pay better attention to the movie. It ends up being pretty interesting, and he enjoys it.  
  
About three quarters of the way through the movie, his stomach growls. Akechi barely registers this, as he’s absorbed in the film. Ren notices, however, and mentions something about something food related.  
  
“I want to finish this,” Akechi tells him.  
  
Ren responds with some nonsense about starting now anyway and tries to get up, but Akechi holds him in place. “Stay here….” he finds himself saying. It’s a bit more forward than he’s been so far, but he really doesn’t want Ren getting up just yet.  
  
“Okay…” Ren replies softly, settling back in place against Akechi and hugging his arm.  
  
Akechi can feel Ren’s pulse increase again … the response causes his own to pick up a little, and he hugs Ren a bit more, shifting a bit and moving his unoccupied arm over to join the first, both hands meeting on Ren’s hip. It feels almost natural to hold him like this... Eventually their heart beats match up, and Akechi takes great comfort in that as they continue the movie together.  
  
Once the credits roll, Ren tilts his head back again and looks up at Akechi. His eyes are bright, and his hair has fallen back from his face from the odd angle… Akechi has half a mind to cover him again… seeing him like that really is too much… and he’s too close…  
  
“Shall I make dinner now?” Ren asks lightheartedly, as if he has no idea what he’s currently doing to Akechi.  
  
Akechi just nods in response. He doesn’t trust his voice at the moment, and isn’t entirely sure if his face has betrayed him or not either… He reluctantly moves his arm so Ren can get up, which he does… slowly. Akechi wonders if he was also reluctant to move from their comfortable place on the couch. He lets the thought pass as Ren turns off the movie and they both go into the kitchen. Morgana trails after them, saying something about fish.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
You head into the kitchen, going straight for the fridge to start getting out ingredients, not wanting to waste any time. As you’re gathering everything you’ll need, you feel Akechi’s eyes on you again. Seems like he didn’t want to waste any time either.  
  
“Would you like to help with this or do you just enjoy watching me that much?” you ask.  
  
“No… I’ll let you handle it,” is all he replies.  
  
Does that mean he does enjoy watching you? That thought makes you feel warm, and you worry you might be blushing. You try to not think about it so much as you go back to prepping your ingredients for dinner. It doesn’t take long for you to fall into a comfortable rhythm, and soon you are expertly multitasking as you cook, skillfully getting everything ready and finished at the same time.  
  
With the food being done, you carefully plate your and Akechi’s portions, taking care to arrange things in the most pleasing looking way. You then work on Morgana’s dinner, dicing up the fish so it’s easier to eat, then place it on a serving tray with some water before setting it down by the fridge. The cat immediately starts eating, and you hope he doesn’t burn his tongue.  
  
You move back to the counter and grab the other plates, placing the first in front of Akechi and the other by the spot you’ll soon sit. Remembering the need for drinks, you turn around again and open one of the cabinets to retrieve two glasses.  
  
“You want some iced green tea? Or water?” you ask Akechi.  
  
Before he can answer, you hear something odd, then realize it’s Morgana.  
  
“Thif if ftho goooooffdfss!” the cat proclaims. You assume he means to say ‘this is so good’.  
  
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” you scold him, though you are glad he’s enjoying it.  
  
You hear Akechi sigh, and turn your attention back to him as he answers your question from a moment ago. You notice he’s paying special attention to the food in front of him.  
  
“Where did you learn to plate like this? It looks like a dish out of a high class restaurant…”  
  
Your heart soars at the praise, and you turn towards the fridge to hide your expression. Tea. You need tea… and you also need to answer him.  
  
“Oh? You’ve been to those, eh?” you say, concentrating on pouring the drinks.  
  
Well, yes… for work meetings on occasion…”  
  
“Mm.”  
  
“Don’t distract me from the question, Ren.”  
  
“Heh… Self-taught, I guess? I just arrange it to look nice. Food tastes better when it looks nice…”  
  
“I suppose it does. I wasn’t aware you had an artistic eye.”  
  
“Don’t tell Yusuke… he’d never leave me alone, then” you joke.  
  
You get a bit of a laugh out of him with that, and it warms your soul. You come over with the drinks, getting right next to him as you place his before moving away to sit down with your own. It’s a bit of a habit from a previous job, and you can’t help wanting to be near him. You’ve even thought of moving your chair and such to sit next to him instead of across, but haven’t for fear of looking strange…  
  
You push that out of your mind and start a discussion about the film you just watched as the two of you start to eat. Akechi immediately perks up and begins debating with you eagerly. You of course have very differing opinions on certain parts of the film, but that makes this all the more enjoyable.  
  
The way Akechi’s mind works has always been fascinating to you. You love his intelligence, and he’s fun to debate with. He looks at things from perspectives you never thought of, and you’ve learned a lot from him. It’s exciting to have new ways of thinking revealed to you, whether or not you agree with them. He always has something interesting to say, or some factoid you didn’t know… You could talk to him forever and never get bored.  
  
After you finish eating, he helps you clean up, washing and rinsing the dishes as you dry them. Having him so close to you again makes you feel tingly all over, and you can’t ignore the desire to be even closer, wanting to erase all space between you…  
  
You try to push that feeling down but it doesn’t entirely go away...  
  
-  
  
Once the kitchen is clean again, you go back into the living room for a moment to talk to Morgana.  
  
“Do you mind staying down here? It’ll probably be more comfortable for you…” you say to the cat as you move across the room to crack a window. “I’ll leave this open so you can come and go from there if you want.”  
  
The cat eyes you suspiciously.  
  
“What?”  
  
“Is it really for _my_ comfort?” Mona asks.  
  
“Well, yeah… my bed is only so big you know....” you reply, rubbing the back of your neck.  
  
“Why can’t he use a futon like a regular guest,” Mona complains.  
  
“I’m not going to let him sleep on the floor… and… you know he’s not just a normal guest…” you say, mumbling the last bit.  
  
Morgana squints at you.  
  
“Oh cut it out. He’s not going to do anything to me.”  
  
The cat sighs (wait, can cats even sigh?) and flicks his tail. “Well, I suppose it would be beneficial not to be subjected to your gross flirting.”  
  
“Wh-… it’s not gross…” you protest.  
  
Mona gives you a ‘yeah right’ look, then curls up in the recliner he’s been sitting on. “Just be glad I’m doing you this favor, Joker,” he says.  
  
You smile at that, and pet him. “Yeah. Thanks Mona.” The cat purrs in response, and you leave him be, going back to the stairs where you notice Akechi is still standing.  
  
He waited for you?  
  
Your heart flutters as he stands to the side and you go by him, heading up the stairs. As you reach your room, he says for you to shower first this time.  
  
“Oh… Alright, thanks,” you reply simply. You wonder what brought that on, but decide not to ask about it. You suppose it’s not unusual to take turns like this. You quickly grab your lounge clothes from the closet, then head back across to the door. “I’ll be right back,” you say. He nods in acknowledgement, and you leave the room, closing the door behind you.  
  
In the bathroom you try not to let your mind wander too much. You shouldn’t linger… You waste no time getting prepared and showering, going through the motions as you keep your head empty. You’re able to dry off and get dressed the same way, though when you start drying your hair, you notice that you’re feeling nervous.  
  
Why the hell are you nervous  
  
_Because you’re going to share a bed with him_  
But you did that last night  
_Not on purpose… it wasn’t planned_  
  
You set the hairdryer down.  
  
Will he even want to?  
  
You pick the hairdryer up, and set it to cool, absentmindedly continuing the arduous process of making the thick mess of waves on your head dry enough to sleep. When that’s done, you put the thing away and brush your teeth, staring at Akechi’s toothbrush the entire time.  
  
You’re sure you’ve gone insane at some point.  
It’s one thing to like someone, or even love them…  
But lately you feel like your emotions are going out of control…  
  
_who stares at a toothbrush and daydreams?_  
  
He really drives you crazy…  
  
The walk back across the hall to your bedroom is ... _intense._ You end up standing outside your own door for a minute before knocking.  
  
“You can come in,” you hear Akechi’s voice call out from the other side of the door. Your heart races.  
  
You poke your head in and… he’s sitting on your bed by the window again, casually leaning on the sill. Your breath hitches as he looks at you. Is your heart going to stop every time you come into your room now?  
  
_Yes… yes it is, as long as he’s in that room,_ you decide.  
  
“This is your room, you know,” Akechi says, a lightness to his tone. Is he teasing you?  
  
Your heart ricochets around in your ribcage as you enter. “Yeah… but I’d hate to be rude,” you reply. Your eyes study him, greedily memorising the scene before you. He looks… _shit_ … He looks beautiful; sleek and elegant in your turtleneck, graceful in the way he’s perched by the window, leaning on the sill, the dim light from outside adding a warm glow to him that makes him look like something out of a dream… like some fantasy your brain concocted. It’s breathtaking. You want to go to him; kiss him, embrace him, lay him down and _show_ him how beautiful you think he is…  
  
You cut off that train of thought before it gets too far.  
  
“It’s not like I was doing anything to warrant the knock…” Akechi says, continuing the conversation with no knowledge of what was just going on in your brain.  
  
“What were you doing then?” you ask, genuinely curious. Was he looking at the sky like last time? Is anything even visible? It was cloudy earlier…  
  
“Just… thinking,” Akechi answers softly, turning back towards the window.  
  
The way he said that makes you really curious. Could it have been about you? You start to move across the room. “Mm… what about?”  
  
“Nothing important…” he murmurs. You’re by the bed now, and sit next to him as he continues to gaze outside. You glance at the sky… it is overcast, but the clouds are illuminated and forming an odd pattern.  
  
“Hm. Is that so?” you reply.  
  
Your eyes must be playing tricks on you, because you just saw him shiver. Yes, that was your imagination… it had to be, after all the other fantasies you’ve been entertaining just today… because if it wasn’t…  
  
After a moment, he slowly turns to look at you, and you’re finding it hard to breathe again as wine colored eyes lock onto yours. You see a lot of things in that gaze, and it causes your nurturing side to kick in.  
  
“It’s alright if you don’t want to share… there’s no need to pretend something isn’t important just to avoid being asked more about it,” you say softly, hoping it’ll put him at ease.  
  
He just stares at you, saying nothing. Though somehow, as you look into each other’s eyes, you get the sensation of recognition; a sense of mutual understanding… it’s astonishing.  
  
The longer you look, the more enchanted you become. You could get lost in those eyes… you _are_ getting lost in those eyes… You don’t notice your hand moving until your fingers start touching his hair… You keep with the motion and tuck the strands behind his ear, letting your fingers brush across it and down his neck.  
  
He definitely shivered this time. You felt it.  
  
“...I should… go bathe…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
You clamp down on the desire slowly burning in your gut. “Yeah, of course… Take your time,” you respond, moving away from him and off the bed so he can get up. He does so, grabbing the pajamas you lent him in the process.  
  
“I’ll be back soon,” he says softly, then leaves.  
  
You turn out the light after he leaves, then fall back down onto your bed and stare at the ceiling.  
  
-  
  
It’s been a few minutes since Akechi left to shower, and your heart is still pounding. You can’t stop thinking about what just happened…. The way he looks in your clothes, bathed in the warm light of the street lamps outside your window… the way he looked at you… how you made him _shiver_ … _twice_ … How you felt and the air between you as you looked into each other's eyes… it was different; more … intimate. Sensual.  
  
You swallow hard. You can’t let yourself get carried away… you don’t want to make him uncomfortable by rushing things, especially something like _that…_ You don’t know if he’s ready for that. He’s been through a lot… had a difficult life with affection being something foreign… the small amounts you have shown him have seemed to be overwhelming for him… So you need to hold back.  
  
Unfortunately that is getting harder the longer you’re around him. You’ve been in love with him probably since before you met, and you've always found him to be attractive, but _man…_  
Something is different now. Is it because you’re finally wholly seeing him as he is?  
  
You shift your position, moving to properly lay on the inside of the bed as you fold your arms up under your head. You wonder if you’ll be able to sleep tonight with how on edge you feel right now…  
  
You take a deep breath, and stare at the ceiling, holding it in.  
You count to ten - let it out.  
In… count to ten… out.  
Two more times.  
  
Now that you’re calmer, you spend time contemplating; wondering how Akechi has been feeling, where he’s been… what he intends to do…  
  
You still fear that he’s going to leave at some point, even though he said he won’t.  
Or worse, that you’re going to wake up and realize this was all a dream…  
  
You can’t do that again.  
  
And this can’t be a dream… the way you feel is much too intense.  
So it’s fine… right?  
  
You frown as you close your eyes, sighing.  
You want him to come back…  
You don’t feel so anxious when he’s next to you.  
  
-  
  
A short time later, your ears pick up the distinct sound of soft footsteps as they enter the room; if you had carpet instead of wood floors you probably wouldn’t have heard them at all. Your heart rate picks up as the footsteps get closer, and more so as Akechi climbs into bed next to you. ...He smells nice…  
  
You turn on your side to face him.  
  
“Welcome back… Did you dry your hair?” you ask softly.  
  
He nods.  
  
“I see…” you reply. You reach over and brush a few strands out of his eyes. Part of you was hoping he’d leave it wet again so you could dry it for him, but this is fine too.  
  
“I see there’s no futon…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
Ah, a direct confrontation. Well, he laid in the bed, so that must mean he wants to be here, right? Otherwise he’d just demand you set up the futon…  
  
“Were you uncomfortable last night?” you ask, just to be sure.  
  
“...No…”  
  
“Then this should be fine right?”  
  
“...I suppose…” he says slowly. He looks a bit shy, though not unwilling.  
  
You can barely hear over the sound of your own heartbeat now, with the confirmation that he wants to stay in the bed with you. You show him what you hope is a reassuring smile as you try to calm yourself too.  
  
“You can come closer if you want to,” you say, hoping he won’t get mad and sleep on the couch or something.  
  
“...I’ll think about it…”  
  
Oh.  
  
You weren’t expecting that. You’re happy he decided to come to the bed, but were still apprehensive about getting cuddly incase he didn’t want that but… maybe you were overthinking.  
  
“I hope I haven’t been making you too uncomfortable,” you blurt out.  
  
He’s quick to say you aren’t.  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“I’m just… not used to it…” he says softly, averting his eyes.  
  
You can’t help but giggle a bit. “That’s pretty cute.” He glares at you for it, but you just laugh more.  
  
He reaches over towards you, and your heart flutters… until he flicks your forehead.  
  
_Did he really just do that?_  
  
“Ah! Hey…” you complain, rubbing the spot. It actually hurt a little.  
  
“That’s what you get for laughing at me,” he says with a smirk.  
  
You love that expression on him…  
  
“I wasn’t laughing _at_ you,” you reply, and pout.  
  
He grumbles, telling you not to pout as he pokes your cheek. You pout harder. He frowns, blushing slightly (did the pout actually get to him?), then pinches your cheek and pulls.  
  
“Owwww…” you complain, rubbing your face. You can’t believe he just did that.  
  
“I warned you,” he responds, looking smug.  
  
“You didn’t have to pull though… Kiss it and make it better…”  
  
“Not a chance.”  
  
Your heart thumps. Just being with him like this, being comfortable and silly with each other, brings you so much joy it’s almost overwhelming… You love him so much.  
  
“...I really missed you,” you say softly, unable to contain the sentiment.  
  
He looks a bit shocked, and mumbles “You shouldn’t have…”  
  
A sharp pain stabs through you. “Goro… Don’t say stuff like that… You know how I feel…”  
  
He looks remorseful for a moment before his eyes turn away from yours. You put your hand over his, and he looks back at you again.  
  
“...What happened? Where were you?” you whisper. You’ve been dying to know…  
  
He takes a deep breath, and then slowly begins to tell you. You listen intently to his story, even scooting closer to him at one point. A lot of details are vague, but he tells you the important things, and it’s… kind of hard to listen to… and makes you even more glad that he returned to you…  
  
Before you know it, a tear slides down your cheek.  
  
“Don’t make that face…” Akechi says as he wipes away the tear. His gaze is so soft it makes you want to cry more.  
  
“I-I’m sorry I just… I’m so glad you’re okay…” the words come out shaky and emotional, and you feel more tears start to fall… Why won’t they stop?  
  
“...Ren…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
The next thing you know, his lips are pressed against yours, and your tears stop instantly as your mind goes blank for a moment. You cling to him, letting all your weakness out as you greedily and desperately kiss him back. He’s nothing but soothing, though… being gentle with you and stroking your hair… it’s calming…  
  
You break away first, and bury your face in his chest. He’s warm, and smells nice… the shirt you lent him is soft and feels good against your cheek. Akechi hugs you, still stroking your hair. You relax more, and then melt as he kisses the top of your head.  
  
“I’m alright now,” he whispers.  
  
Is this what it’s like to be comforted? It’s so soothing… It’s comfortable here, being held like this - listening to his heartbeat as he envelops you and buries his face in your hair.  
  
You feel safe and … loved.  
  
You listen to the rhythm of his heart as it matches yours…  
It eases you into a peaceful sleep.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Having followed Ren into the kitchen after the movie, Akechi takes a seat at the table and proceeds to watch the boy move around preparing for dinner. He’s always had a hard time keeping his eyes off him, and that has only gotten harder since he’s been here. Something about the way Ren moves is enchanting, and seeing him do little everyday things like cooking brings a sense of peace and warmth to Akechi’s heart.  
  
Ren must feel Akechi’s eyes on him because he suddenly asks if Akechi would like to help.  
  
“No… I’ll let you handle it,” he responds, still watching intently. Ren doesn’t say anything to that, but Akechi thinks he looks a bit flushed for a moment. That makes him smile. He continues to watch as Ren expertly multitasks several things in the small space. It’s not long before the room is filled with a delicious smell, and Akechi’s mouth starts watering as he realizes how hungry he is…  
  
When Ren finishes, he first serves Mona the fish - putting it and a bowl of water on a small tray and setting it on the floor near the fridge for the cat. He then brings two plates to the table, setting the first in front of Akechi and the other in the spot across.  
  
“You want some iced green tea? Or water?” Ren asks as he gets a couple glasses from the cabinet.  
  
They’re interrupted by muffled mews coming from the fridge area as Morgana tries to say something while scarfing down the fish Ren just put there.  
  
“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Ren scolds the cat.  
  
Akechi sighs and shakes his head. “The green tea sounds good…” he answers, partially distracted now as he’s admiring the presentation of the food in front of him. “Where did you learn to plate like this? It looks like a dish out of a high class restaurant…”  
  
“Oh? You’ve been to those, eh?” Ren deflects.  
  
“Well, yes… for work meetings on occasion…”  
  
“Mm.”  
  
“Don’t distract me from the question, Ren.”  
  
“Heh… Self-taught, I guess? I just arrange it to look nice. Food tastes better when it looks nice…”  
  
“I suppose it does. I wasn’t aware you had an artistic eye.”  
  
“Don’t tell Yusuke… he’d never leave me alone, then” Ren jokes.  
  
Akechi snickers at that, and also wonders just how much Yusuke actually bothers Ren as he tries to ignore the jealousy poking around in his gut. Ren delivers Akechi’s drink, then sits down finally. He could have done so after sitting, or at least on the way to sit, but he made a point to come over directly next to Akechi before setting it down by him. What was the point of that? Akechi doesn’t have much time to think about it as Ren immediately starts a discussion about the film they watched as they begin to eat.  
  
Akechi immensely enjoys both the dinner and the discussion; he never grows tired of talking to Ren, no matter the topic… Ren could make a discussion about dust particles interesting. No one else he’s ever met has been this mentally stimulating. It’s surely a large part of why Akechi became so taken with him…  
  
He starts to feel an odd sensation build up inside that he’s not sure what it is or how to describe it … Whatever it is, it eases some as he stands close to Ren while they wash dishes together.  
  
Then it builds again as there’s more space between them. This is… concerning.  
  
-  
  
Once they are finished in the kitchen, Akechi waits by the stairs as Ren talks to Morgana, then cracks one of the windows in the living room, presumably for the cat to be able to come and go as he pleases without disrupting Ren and himself.  
  
_Good… hopefully this will keep him out of the room, too…_  
  
As Ren comes back over, Akechi can see Morgana behind him giving him a look. Akechi just rolls his eyes and follows Ren upstairs. Damn nuisance cat can stay down here tonight. Or more preferably, forever.  
  
“You can go first,” Akechi says as they reach Ren’s room, referring to the shower.  
  
“Oh... Alright, thanks,” Ren replies after a second. He pads over the closet to grab his lounge clothes, then is back by the door again a moment later. “I’ll be right back.”  
  
Akechi nods, and then is left alone. He considers using this time to read, but then realizes that he left the book downstairs… Deciding that he really doesn’t want to go back down there, he instead chooses to sit on the bed and look out the window again.  
  
He leans his elbow on the window sill, propping his chin up as he looks out at the sky. Sighing softly, he’s disappointed at the lack of stars to view; it’s been dark for a time, but is also cloudy now, blocking any would be visible constellations behind a thick fluffy layer of air and frozen water droplets. However, the rippling pattern he can see glowing from the clouds looks mildly interesting, so he studies that while pondering the odd feeling that’s building up even more in him as Ren is out of the room.  
  
He thought it would subside with Ren being out of the room, but it’s not going away. Grumbling, he rubs his temples in frustration. The other messy emotions that have been swirling around in him are bad enough… he doesn’t need this one too. Part of him wants to curse Ren for it, but he can’t bring himself to. He’s gotten soft.  
  
_...Weak…_  
  
He frowns at that.  
  
What would Ren say about it? Probably some nonsense about acknowledging your feelings and doing what you really want is true strength, rather than hiding them away like a _coward_. He scoffs to himself, and smirks. Ren would say something like that to taunt him. It would probably work, too.  
  
Akechi lets his mind wander through more imaginary conversations with Ren as he watches the illuminated clouds in the night sky, only to be interrupted by a knock on the door.  
  
“You can come in,” Akechi answers passively.  
  
Akechi turns to look as Ren pokes his head in with a sheepish smile. It makes his heart twinge...  
  
“This is your room, you know,” Akechi reminds him.  
  
Ren’s smile gets more bashful as he enters. “Yeah… but I’d hate to be rude.”  
What a foolish sentiment.  
  
“It’s not like I was doing anything to warrant the knock…”  
  
“What were you doing then?”  
  
“Just… thinking,” Akechi answers, turning back towards the window.  
  
“Mm… What about?” Ren asks, crossing the room as he speaks.  
  
“Nothing important…” Akechi murmurs. That feeling is subsiding again as Ren gets closer. How strange.  
  
“Hm. Is that so?”  
  
The voice comes from right next to him, and he doesn’t have to turn to see that Ren is now sitting beside him on the bed. A slight shiver runs through his body from the sound of that voice, and the pleasant scent of soap drifting off Ren.  
  
Akechi has the sudden and intense urge to bury himself in that sweet smell and warmth and never leave…  
  
He turns his head slowly, hesitant to meet the other’s gaze, but still unable to resist the allure. He manages to keep his breathing even as his eyes meet those attentive grey ones, despite his heart leaping into his throat.  
  
Ren must’ve seen through him, because he then said this :  
“It’s alright if you don’t want to share… there’s no need to pretend something isn’t important just to avoid being asked more about it.”  
  
_Just how perceptive IS he, anyway…_  
  
Akechi doesn’t respond to that, but he also doesn’t feel like he needs to. He just… keeps looking into Ren’s eyes. Somehow it seems as if there is a silent understanding between them in this moment.  
  
The corners of Ren’s mouth curl up just barely, forming a slight smile that feels reassuring. He’s also lifted his hand, and is reaching for Akechi. Akechi holds his breath as Ren’s elegant fingers mingle with his hair, tucking it back behind his ear. It’s a simple gesture, but something about it makes Akechi’s heart swell, and he’s glad that Ren seems to be making a habit of it. Then his mind goes blank as he shivers, having felt Ren’s fingertips lightly brush across the top of his ear and then along his neck.  
  
That… might be dangerous.  
  
“...I should… go bathe…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
There’s a flicker of something in Ren’s eyes.  
  
“Yeah, of course… Take your time,” he responds, now moving off the bed to allow Akechi room to get up.  
  
Akechi slides off the bed, grabbing the folded pajamas he wore before as he moves. “I’ll be back soon,” he says before walking out of the room and across the hall to the bathroom.  
  
-  
  
Once alone, Akechi leans against the bathroom door and sighs heavily. Just what the hell is going on with him? There have been many strange emotions cropping up that he’s not sure how to process. It’s a little frightening, but none of them feel _bad…_ though he still doesn’t quite know what to make of them.  
  
In the back of his mind, he knows. He knows what those feelings are and what they mean… where they come from… but he’s not ready to fully name them just yet, and certainly not out loud. He’s still trying to wrap his head around having them at all…  
  
Nothing else in his life has been so confusing, or felt both so right and so wrong at the same time, though he supposes the wrongness comes from his own guilt.  
  
He still doesn’t understand how Ren can just accept him back so readily… he knows they have a special connection, but that shouldn’t excuse everything he’s done…  
  
But it’s also nice to be accepted.  
  
Akechi sighs again, setting the clothes on the counter before turning around to grab a towel. His thoughts shift to the encounter that just happened. Since he appeared before Ren yesterday, the energy between them has been… different. Akechi expected this to an extent, but what happened just now was more … something. He’s a little scared to see where that will lead.  
  
But also would very much like to find out…  
  
Deciding he shouldn’t waste any more time, Akechi undresses and gets into the shower. He does his best to keep his thoughts under control so he doesn’t space out and spend more time than necessary in here… It would be bad if Ren were to come looking for him.  
  
He bathes, rinsess, dries, and gets dressed efficiently. He wants to go back to the room, but doesn’t yet, stopping to look at his wet hair. Would it be weird to leave it in hopes that Ren would offer to dry it again? That scenario happened naturally last night as Akechi didn’t know they had a hair dryer or where it was…  
  
Now he does know, and stupid pride won’t allow him to pretend he doesn’t or just ask Ren to dry it for him.  
  
And so, he grabs the hair dryer from its home and gets to work on his tresses. He gets them about 90% dry before deciding that’s good enough, turning the noisy machine off and returning it to its hole. He also takes a couple minutes to brush his teeth before returning to the room.  
  
-  
  
As Akechi exits the bathroom, he sees that Ren’s door is still open and the light is off. He quietly wanders in, closing the door behind him, then glances around the room. He notices that there is no futon set up, and Ren is lying down in his bed.  
  
Well then.  
  
He moves towards the bed, keeping his footsteps light and silent. Upon reaching it, he climbs in and lays on his side next to Ren.  
  
“Welcome back…” Ren murmurs as he turns from his back to his side to face Akechi. “Did you dry your hair?”  
  
Akechi nods.  
  
“I see…” Ren replies. He brushes a few strands out of Akechi’s eyes, and Akechi wonders if he’s testing to see if it’s really dry. Perhaps he could have come out with wet hair and had Ren dry it …  
  
“I see there’s no futon…” Akechi murmurs, changing the subject.  
  
“Were you uncomfortable last night?” Ren asks.  
  
“...No…”  
  
“Then this should be fine, right?”  
  
“...I suppose…”  
  
Ren smiles that small, soft reassuring smile again. “You can come closer if you want to,” he says smoothly.  
  
Akechi’s pulse is in his ears again. He really wishes it would stop migrating.  
  
“...I’ll …think about it…” he responds.  
  
Ren’s face expresses that he was not expecting that kind of answer. Akechi actually does consider moving closer, if only just to see what kind of effect it would have… Though he stays where he is for now.  
  
“I hope I haven’t been making you too uncomfortable…” Ren says softly.  
  
What? Why would he think that? “You haven’t,” Akechi answers quickly.  
  
“Oh?”  
  
“I’m just… not used to it…”  
  
“Hehe… That’s pretty cute,” Ren chuckles.  
  
Akechi glares at him, but it just makes Ren chuckle more. He reaches over and lightly flicks Ren’s forehead; how dare he laugh at him.  
  
“Ah! Hey…” Ren mumbles, rubbing the spot.  
  
Akechi smirks. “That’s what you get for laughing at me.”  
  
“I wasn’t laughing _at_ you…” Ren pouts.  
  
_This guy..._  
_How can he make a face like that?_  
  
“...Don’t pout,” Akechi grumbles, giving the boy a stern look as he pokes one puffy cheek.  
  
Ren doubles down and pouts harder.  
  
_Oh you’ve got to be fucking kidding me…_  
  
Akechi frowns, hoping the forced expression will keep him from turning colors in the midst of this psychological attack. In retaliation, he pinches Ren’s cheek and pulls.  
  
“Owwww…” Ren whines, rubbing his face after Akechi lets go.  
  
“I warned you,” he answers.  
  
“You didn’t have to pull, though…” Ren complains. “Kiss it and make it better…”  
  
“Not a chance.”  
  
Ren’s expression changes again, and a deep, warm fondness is now emanating from his eyes. “... I really missed you,” he says softly.  
  
Akechi’s taken aback by the sudden change. “You shouldn’t have…” he says without thinking.  
  
“Goro… Don’t say stuff like that… You know how I feel…”  
  
Ah, now there’s sadness in Ren’s eyes. He messed up again. He looks down; he never could stand to see Ren upset.  
  
A warm hand covers his own, and he looks back up.  
  
“...What happened? Where were you…?” Ren whispers.  
  
Akechi takes a deep breath. He can see genuine concern in Ren’s gaze, and behind that… hurt. It’s painful to look at.  
  
“...I … I’m not entirely sure what happened, to be honest with you…” Akechi murmurs.  
  
The look of concern deepens.  
  
“... All I remember after … _that_ … was waking up in the ICU of some hospital, much to the surprise of the nurse who had been adjusting the breathing equipment attached to me…”  
  
“You… were on life support?” Ren asks, eyes wide.  
  
“It seems I had been in a coma for a time, yes… And judging from the staff’s reaction, I hadn’t been expected to wake up…”  
  
“ohmygod…” Ren whispers, and shuffles closer. “Did you find out what happened?”  
  
“Mm… a bit… When I asked about it, I was told that I was found outside the Diet Building, bloody and barely conscious. The good samaritan who found me called for help, and I was rushed to that hospital… I have no recollection of how I escaped the engine room, though. It’s common to have memory loss surrounding a traumatic injury event, and it may never return. I’m not sure I’d want to remember that anyway…” Akechi explains. He glances at Ren again, and sees a tear slide down the boy’s cheek.  
  
“...Don’t make that face…” Akechi murmurs, gently reaching over to wipe away the tear.  
  
“I-I’m sorry I just… I’m so glad you’re okay…” Ren stammers, more tears spilling out as he talks.  
  
Akechi’s heart breaks.  
  
“Ren…” he whispers, moving closer. He uses the hand on Ren’s cheek to tilt the boy’s face up and kisses him, not knowing what else to do to stop the crying.  
  
Ren immediately clings to Akechi, returning the kiss with such fervor it makes Akechi dizzy; the amount of desperation behind it is overwhelming...  
  
Akechi slides his hand across Ren’s cheek and into his hair, gently stroking the soft curls. He can feel Ren’s body start to relax a little, and after a moment Ren breaks away from the kiss, lowering his head to Akechi’s chest and burying it there. Akechi hugs him and kisses the top of his head as he continues to stroke his hair.  
  
“I’m alright now,” Akechi whispers.  
  
He continues to hold Ren until the boy calms down enough to fall asleep. His shirt is damp, and Ren is still holding onto him tightly, but he doesn’t mind… he’s never felt this needed before.  
  
He buries his face in Ren’s curls, hugging him gently as he breathes in the pleasant scent.  
  
_This feels like a dream… except none of mine have ever been this nice…_  
  
_I shouldn’t be allowed this… not after all the pain I caused, but…_  
_… he would get hurt more if I were to stay away, and I don’t want that either…_  
  
_…. and_ I _don’t want to stay away anymore…_  
  
Akechi sighs softly, twisting Ren’s curls around his fingers. He’s still amazed that he’s here right now … and in this kind of situation…  
  
He wasn’t sure what to expect when he showed up at the train station, or when he followed Ren home, but it wasn’t _this_ …  
  
Perhaps there are such things as pleasant surprises.  
  
Akechi gently brushes some hair back from Ren’s face and kisses his temple, lips lingering there as his heart swells.  
  
_Yes… pleasant surprises can happen…_  
  
That final thought floats around in his brain as he cuddles Ren, the boy’s presence allowing him to relax fully. He starts feeling drowsy, and the comfort helps him drift off to a peaceful sleep.  
  
  
  


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for reading!
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and the amazing artwork by [Treesbuddy](Treesbuddy)
> 
> From the next chapter on I may be adding detailed tags in the notes, so please look out for those!

**Author's Note:**

> If you've made it this far, thank you so much for reading! 
> 
> If you happened to enjoy it, you can find me on Twitter [@crinkle_puff](https://twitter.com/crinkle_puff) where I post updates and excerpts of this project
> 
> Since this is my first story, all feedback is welcome and appreciated!


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